FIRE WASTE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20024, 4 September 1930, Page 15

FIRE WASTE.

losses from carelessness. [TBB PRESS Special Service.] WELLINGTON, September 8., Modem fire stations, full equipment, and well-trained men were all very well, remarked the Minister for Internal Affairs, the Hon. P. A. <le la Perrelle, at the opening of the new Northland station this morning, but a duty devolved upon • the public as well, for unfortunately far too many people were extremely careless where fire was concerned, and a big percentage of fire waste was directly traceable to downright carelessness. "It is a safe assumption," he said, "that the fire waste—that is, not only actual destruction, but concomitant loss as a consequence of fire—for the \ear ending December 31st, 1929, amounted to over one and a half millions of money, and the regrettable part of the matter is that very much of it should be easily preventable, for the majority of outbreaks are due _to carelessness in some form. Conclusive evidence of such carelessness lies in the fact that during the twelve months ended March 31st last in the fire districts, no less than 457 outbreaks of •fire were reported as due to the current being left on electric irons, kettles, or heaters, gas left on rings ans stoves, airing clothes before the fire, live ashes thrown out in the backyard, and so on, all preventable, but involving a total loss of £95,620, and involving alao. in some cases, loss of iuwi»