H.—l2.

proposing a somewhat similar form of control was rejected by the Conference. Most of the opposition to the proposal appears to be based on the suggestion that the proposed Board would be a modified form of Government control, which incidentally is not intended, and it would appear that sufficient weight has not been given to the more efficient service that would be possible under a single controlling authority. Inspections. It was not found possible to make a complete inspection of all brigades during the year, but the majority were visited at least once. Close touch is kept with the activities of all brigades by means of newspaper cuttings containing the reports of matters affecting the local fire-protection service. Wherever necessary special inspections were made. The conditions found were generally satisfactory, and in one or two instances where defects had previously been pointed out a considerable improvement was noted. The usual reports were made on inspections of public buildings and institutions, and advice has been given to Fire Boards and local bodies with regard to equipment, fire station sites and buildings, water-supply installations, &c. A number of reports were also made to the Local Government Loans Board on loans proposed for fire prevention, and water supply and reticulation purposes. I have, &c., B. Girling-Butcher, Inspector of Fire Brigades.

Table I.—Miscellaneous Statistics for Fire Districts.

6

t A t , Insurances Insured Uninsured T^npr.MitIire Insurance Number mvolv- nn T,os« ' Pirn T,nss Jjixpenditure ...... Popula- Rateable Companies of ingLoss p rotier t v Buildings'i Buildings T °t al Fire | f "J. Ye ?f District. t P m capital Value. Premium Fire of »el and and 8 Loss ' I en^l | Income. Galls. ; Pro- in Fires . Contents, j Contents. j £ £ £ £ I £ £ £ Auckland Metro- 183,140 70,974,657 208,986 659 145 1,229,482 71,693 j 724 72,417 28,100 politan Balclutha .. 1,650 274,120 2,080 4 1 600 5 5 237 Birkenhead .. 3,440 900,912 4,400 14 .. .. .. .. 612 Cambridge .. 2,200 727,270 3,089 7 4 2,455 1,084 .. 1,084 49b Christchurch .. 92,150 29,268,512 104,983 266 90 332,683 40,864 8,600 49,464 12,000 Dannevirke .. 4,580 1,406,444 6,398 10 6 18,320 2,061 257 2,318 755 Dareaville .. 2,010 489,697 3,271 9 3 3,700 125 1 126 396 Dunedin 69,900 17,106,487 75,191 368 56 212,601 14,750 1,618 16,368 11,750 Eltham .. 2,020 534,868 2,221 3 2 1,150 900 .. 900 385 Feilding .. 4,520 1,409,893 5,675 9 2 2,750 660 112 772 825 Foxton .. 1,740 251,656 1,516 4 3 9,082 5,341 1,371 6,712 391 Gisborne .. 14,550 4,623,120 20,796 27 12 27,575 3,978 176 4,154 1,671 Grevmouth 6,400 1,127,999 7,107 11 10 18,750 4,002 655 4,657 841 Hamilton .. 15,750 5,120,021 17,960 68 13 5,607 386 800 1,186 2,730 Hastings 12,400 3,524,504 15,564 41 12 7,000 2,010 935 2,945 2,715 Hawera .. 4,760 1,331,921 7,658 21 5 14,470 234 3 237 1,127 Hikurangi .. 1,250 161,986 1,062 3 1 300 300 .. 300 122 Hokitika° .. 2,590 390,955 2,820 4 4 1,075 1,050 3,150 4,200 605 Invercargill .. 21,200 5,174,638 24,842 109 34 93,180 6,903 1,247 8,150 5,045 Kaiapoi .. 1,750 315,828 1,991 4 2 100 20 45 65 492 Kaitangata .. 1,350 102,335 1,060 2 1 - 3 3 128 Lawrence .. 650 56,850 705 1 1 180 9 9 75 Levin .. 2,800 759,576 3,398 14 5 1,390 1,081 .. 1,081 531 Masterton .. 8,830 2,509,839 12,044 30 6 9,750 1,856 111 1,967 2,861 Milton .. .. 1.600 227,693 1,936 2 .. .. .. •• 130 Mossiel .. .. 2,120 304,310 2,005 .. .. ■■ 105 Napier . 16,400 4,210,330 25,023 43 17 13,790 5,475 1,081 6,556 4,286 Nelson " .. 11,200 2,869.744 16,448 28 15 ,9,980 3,696 228 3,924 2,505 New Plymouth .. 16,550 5,004,996 17,728 47 16 19,585 2,944 15 2,959 1,858 Oamaru .. 7 680 1,540,468 8,311 17 10 10,622 1,678 692 2,370 924 Ohakune .. 1,400 109,110 1,121 8 2 500 225 1,000: 1,225 355 Opotiki .. 1,330 326,617 1,788 6 1 11,375 3,609 .. j 3,609 420 Otaki .. 1,660 305,888 1,854 3 1 1,300 50 50 366 Pahiatua .. 1,560 345,395 3,069 5 3 2,365 1,365 575 1,940 335 Palmerston North 21,950 7,429,131 29,654 103 17 13,925 1,290 141 1,431 4,281 Petone .. 11 190 3,117,446 13,333 26 6 101,000 535 150 685 1,781 Port Chalmers .. 2,570 306,321 1,936 6 3 870 606 180 786 265 Pukekohe .. 2,560 796,803 2,728 9 1.. .. 5 5 654 Rotorua .. 5,250 1,462,021 6,915 27 7 20,950 5,184 .. 5,184 1,009 Taihape .. 2; 450 504,802 3,395 5 1 400 7 .. 7 489 Taumarunui .. 2,550 630,170 2,545 13 3 647 71 40 111 502 Tauranga .. 3,190 847,995 4,149 7 2 1,650 340 .. o40 620 TeAroha .. 2,560 712,018 4,054 6 1 250 1 1 597 TeAwamutu .. 1,940 634,768 3,289 8 2 650 121 45 166 550 .. 17 450 5,216 077 16,960 39 8 10,650 714 40 754 2,581 WMhi .. 3,200 268,716 2,577 24 8 3,538 797 450 1,247 586 Waipukurau .. 2,030 504,634 2,541 11 3 3,825 180 .. 180 355 Wairoa .. 2 420 675,606 3,540 6 5 6,865 3,946 .. 3,946 677 Waitara .. 1,920 321,234 2,996 1 1 600 180 .. 180 234 Wanganui .. 24,850 5,968,006 31,430 134 23 17,135 883 346 1,229 6,563 Wellington . 114,100 52,619,290 173,907 748 123 828,393 23,662 1,918 25,580 29,424 Westport .. 4 070 511,810 4,386 6 2 900 15 20 35 700 wlarei .. 7 880 2,331,663 8,211 13 3 4,225 725 .. 725 898 Woodvillc .. 1,130 167,389 1,347 3 3 1,060 355 495 8E» 340 758^390"" 933,993 3,042 705 3,079,250 217,966 27,229 245,195 139,280