FIRE LOSSES

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 9, 11 July 1933, Page 8

FIRE LOSSES

DOMINION DECREASE LOWEST FOR TEN YEARS Fire losses in New Zealand in 1932 were the lowest for over-ten years. This announcement was made by the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. J. A. Young) at the annual reunion of the Hamilton Fire Brigade on Saturday evening, states the "Auckland Star." The returns for the year, .he said, showed that fire: losses had decreased by 32 per, cent, compared with 1931. "I thihk the Government may claim some credit for this very satisfactory position," said the Minister. "In the early stages of the depression^ about the end of 1931, my predecessor as Minister of internal Affairs (the Hon. Mr. Hamilton) .called public attention to the fact that New Zealand had the unenviable distinction of. leading the world.'in fire loss per head of population. He inaugurated, a fire-prevention campaign, with which the Press, municipalities, and the fire brigade authorities co-operated. . ...... "A considerable, amount of publicity matter bearing on the fire waste question was distributed in every town in New Zealand, and special efforts were made to show the public, firstly, that the fire loss was controllable" by the use of a little care and forethought, and, secondly, that even . the . maximum amount of insurance cover which could be obtained from insurance companies did not compensate the owner of the' premises for his fire lossos. "Owing to the limitation of the funds available the publicity: work was largely; confined to the towns,'.' the Minister ' continued,. "and, the latest figures for fire board districts are even more .satisfactory than ..those for the country generally. .To): thb three years prior to 1932 the average number of fires was 1345 and the firo loss, about £550,000. The returns for the year ended March 31, 1933, show that in spite of an increase in population in these areas of over 20,000, the. number of fires has been reduced to 737—approximately one-half—and the total fire loss to. £201,000. . . : '•. '' The comparison of the number of fires is the,more significant of the two sots of figures," said Mr. Young. "The drop in values which has taken place throughout the country would naturally result in. lesser amounts being paid l,y the: insurance cpmpanies,.but the great reduction in the number of fires.cannot have been effected by this cause. In fact, the nsual experience is that in times, of depression the fire losses increase. The fire-pvevention campaign appears to have been undertaken at the right time ami to have been effectual in persuading the prblic to take greater care with regard to fire in the interests of tlicir own pockets."