A NATIONAL WASTE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 545, 28 June 1909, Page 6

A NATIONAL WASTE.

» 1 THE FIRE LOSS. BRICADE SUPERINTENDENT'S VIEW. .mSURANCB RESPONSIBILITIES. ' Referring to a letter (signed F. G. Cray) which appeared in The Domimqn on Saturday, Superintendent O'Brien, of tho Wellington Firo' Brigade, told a reporter that ho also was of bpihion_.that tho timo,had arrived' when something should bo dono to lesson tho great national waste that was taking place in Now Zealand every year. No Aid from Underwriters. Ho wont on to say that ho entirely disagreed with Mr. Cray when ho placed tho onus on the municipal bodies. The municipality of Wellington had, in his opinion, dono maro, and was doing moro, than any other such body in Australasia in tho direction of framing by-laws for tho construction of firo-proof buddmgs and prevention of fire. And, with ,whai assistance from tho fire underwriters? ho : asked.' Nonol Mr. Cray, he .continued; .made tho following statement' "It is not a question of fire infih~ranco losses, but one- of the national waste that was taking place." ' He (Mr. O'Brien) considered that it waa plainly tho duty of tho fire underwriters, by reason of the special training required to successfully run such a business, 1 to take.tho inztiairve and point out to tho authorities concerned how the loss could be lessoned. What They Do In America. It certainly was a fact that New Zealand hold the record for tho loss by fire per head. But what was being done in other countries to grapplo with this difficulty had to be taken into account. Why, in Arftcrica the National Board of Underwriters had dono wonders.' in tho direction in question by the issuo of pamphlets gratis to thoso interested in fire, prevention, otc. In that way tboy wore not only lessening their own losses, but doing a good work from a national standpoint. There was in England a body called the British Fire Prevention Committee, which was carrying out similar work. Suggested Remedy. Asked what he could suggest should ■be dime to .effect a remedy, Mr. O'Brien remarked that carelessness.,was, no doubt,'tho principal cause of fires in Now Zealand, but rt was,-.hb said, possible that there 'might' be carelessness in the issuing of policies, He would suggest that a conference of business aid insurance men and other interested in tho question should bo held, with a view to tho formation of a firo reduction committee If that were done, tho committee would ascertain exactly what tho existing conditions woro, and deternrino what remedies should be applied. ' It would thus bo scan, corrfcinued the superintendent, that the matter reduced itself to one of business. When the people in general, could bo made to see that to follow tho old course was bad businoss they would comprehend that it was for thoir own advantage to guard against fire. It was tho people rather than the .companies who suffered in' consequence of fires. The companies could always raise tho rates, and thus recoup themselves. It had to be boms' in mind that tho companies did not go into the business from philanthropic reasons, but with a' view te profit-making. If what he suggested were dono,' tho- people would be brought to • realiso. that 'firo waste ;did not end with tho direct loss, but affected tho community at large. • . "But," added ;Mr. O'Brien, "until tho eyes of tho peoplo are opened and they see and understand all this clearly, tho old system will go on."