FIRE INQUIRIES

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8364, 26 February 1913, Page 11

FIRE INQUIRIES

Press Association, OHEISTCHTXRCH, February 25. At this molding's eitting of the Firs Boards' Conference the very important subject of holding inquests into fires was raised. Auckland delegates proposed that section iS of the Fire Brigades' Act should bo amended to provide for the payment of the expenses of coroners’ inquests. In support, it was said that an inquest might be held by a fire board, but no provision was made for payment of costs. It was felt that either the board or the Government should foot the bilL Testimony by delegatee from Dunedin and Christchurch was that where coroners hart been asked to hold inquests into fires they bad been held and no request made for payment. Auckland delegates in reply, stated that where an insurance company asked the board there to hold an inquest it had been asked to pay the costs, and - that was felt to be unfair, because such a company might become marked and lose business. Mr T. Chalmers (Dunedin) said hs would like to urge the holding of systematic inquiries into the cause of fires. He fell it would do a great deal of-good in eliminating fires and expiring the causes. He quoted a Homo authority-to the effect that the holding of inquests was a great preventive of arson and fraud on insurance companies. It led people to be more careful in dealing with fires in both business and private places. Mr Michel (Hokitika) saint ho believed the Act already gave sufficient power foi inquiry, but if there were not then let the fire board pay the cost necessary. Mr Chalmers further said that the police would not ask for an inquiry into a fire unless thev d— rii- d then? were gpt, pleiou* cfrenm-teriee*, -Mt his beard took a. more charitable view of the case and thought a great many fires were due. not to criminal intent, hut to what might b» termed criminal carelessness in construction, or the carrying on of works in unsuitable buildings, and bad ■storage methods. He. therefore, believed that systematic _ inquiries would lead in revelations which would promote a knowledge that would reduce the number of fires. proposal that provision should be made for payment or inquest costs was lost.