VANISHED IN SMOKE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 669, 20 November 1909, Page 7

VANISHED IN SMOKE.

;;V OUR LOSSES BY FIRE. ,;; / ■ ; ', SOME' STRIKING.COMPAEISONS;.''.-" ■ ' The resolution of the Pire Boards' Conference drawing attention to the "serious national waste by fire" may be illustrated by some striking passages,in the.annual report of Mr. T. ,Ti . Hugo,. Inspector of, Firo, Brigades. .- Ho. works out the insurance, losses in New Zealand during ■the"five years ended December, 1808, at nearly Bs. 9{d- por head of.population per annum. Tho actual insurance loss was .J5417.450 per annum. To arrive at 1 the actual firo waste,; he adds 33 1-3 per cent, for the valuo of property destroyed; that was not insured. . ... ■■. -. , ■ . "That will give an average: loss in.Now Zealand of 'i£55G,640 per annum for tho last fivo years, or slightly over 11s. BJd. per head, SO that property to tho value during that period of over ,£2,750,000 sterling has : vanished in, smoke. But oven this hugo sum does not cover our, actual fire waste, for the expenses entailed by wear and tear of fire plant and appliances, fuel used for conveying the 'appliances to and extinguishing fires, etc., amounts to a fair sum per annum, and these and other contingent charges should be included to arrive, at a" true estimate.".- • • ■. ". - : , : {> . Tor purposes of comparison, Mr. Hugo gives : tho following figures relating to tho United States:—lnsurance,loss, ■ or ss. .per., capita;-fire waste,"£lo,ooo,ooo, or 10s.. per capita.. .-'.-::"• :'" '■.■.-'; •'■" ' ..-:> '■-"-." .-•'■■■ Jlr. Hugo further, says.—"The fire waste-in New' Zealand is so excessive in proportion/to.its population, and the- consequent drain upon the wealth of: its' community so: periods, that . I wonld. strongly rwommend,- as a means to.'reduce;iii some measure at anyrato the prevail-; ing loss, that local-governing bodies as a whole should promptly take into earnest consideration the.: framing for general adoption, of building and-other by;laws—suited; ot: course, to local conditions—having for their'object the prevention :of fire,';also. the more efficient equipment of fire brigades under their control;..To tho insurance companies 'X would recommend' the more thorough inspection ', of risks before' _ac- , cepting proposals.. Ini the past this work has! been-carried., out. in al very perfunctory, manner ; cases have been Tcportea,.to-inei'in which, no' inspection .has ever been'made. I would also recommend, tho observance, of-a stricter supervision over agency; or sub-agency busiThe'inspector also givea an interesting table showing the estimated cost of : firo brigades for' the years ending June 30, 1909, and" Juno 30, IDIO. Wellington is. not mentioned, the fire brigado hero being controlled by the. City Council'instead of by the Kro Board, as elsewhere. Omitting shillings and"pence; tho table is as follows:— '. ' • ; .-.':"."." '■■■ w-y ■■) ■ •..: ■ ■■■ .'■•;'• . 1509. ,; ■ 1910. '■■'■' ■'■ '" ' '•"-'■■'. ,-.'■■.'.;■ £ ■ ■:; ■<-'£ ■.Auckland:...;. .1.....;. 8,500. r\ 7,276 V Christchurch ..........;.... 7,550 ■■■■.•'7,547-: .'•.'Uann0virke';...'....»...■:...:.: - 6CO : 590.. :. Uunedin ;..:.,....:..;....;...... 4,200 - 6,000 ! . i'eilding .....;..................;..■ 385' ' .-~ 460 : : Gisborne ....................... -'362 .. : 521 , Greymouth ■ .'..........;...... >'67G ' .; CBs.'"-, .Hastings ..............:.....,.. Nil .;■ . 703; Hawera i.:.: .....' 280 . 450 Hokitika ,-,.. 621."' ~' . 645-.' Lawrcin'ce"' ..:........0...........■ 200 100: Masterton ...;...„...;.;........: 1,153 ' .'- 1,331 ; Maori Hi11'........».;...;...;.;:=. 339- r : 381 ; iMilton .:-.....:.... ..,......; if 210 v- :'. 300 / New. Plymouth ......;....„;. {i'46o ' - ; 472 ■ ■■Oamaru .;..;...;.. j^4oo , :,: .538 .Palmerston, North ............. 898 : ■'■ 1,436 , .Petone' ....:...................: ' 582 ' ': , 9IS . AVhnngarei ;;;..;..; .;■„;'..'. 400 : ..;- 3G6^ ■.■'.■•;■:.'■■/.'■Totals :■„.:;..„..:....... 27,815. ■-■ 30,730 '' Tho above figure's do not represent the actual sums expended; they are taken .from the -estimates of "proposed expenditure for; the,respec-' tive: years," and,-are : therefore approximate only: ■ v '";::' ■■ -;' : i- - , ■". ■ ':■'': -■ - ■■ .' ,-'".