THE UNDERWRITERS' ASSOCIATION AND THE FIRE BRIGADE.

Evening Star, Issue 6478, 20 December 1883, Page 1

THE UNDERWRITERS' ASSOCIATION AND THE FIRE BRIGADE.

| The Fire Underwriters' Association have I intimated to the City Council their intention i of withdrawing in the future the very ! modorato subsidy hitherto annually contri- | buted towards the expenses of the Fire Brigade. In communicating the resolution to this effect the chairman, Mr Williajt Bbowjt, enclosed a short digest of the reasons which form the basis thereof, and which, he states, "are the recognised " opinions prevailing generally elsewhere as " well as here." The argument is that it is tho duty of the Corporation to deal with fires, and the interest of every individual citizen, directly and indirectly, to maintain an efficient fire brigade. The Association assert that no private individual or association of individuals can be expected to maintain such a force and appliances as would be adequate to deal with fires on property not their own, whilst property holders have a right to protection out of the rates. It is therefore argued that corporations dispensing this fund are the proper bodies to pay the whole expenses of fire brigades. " The common right of "citizens to protection from and help in "case of fire is no way affected by their "being insured or uninsured. Insurance "does not destroy this right, nor does " the right ariao from the absence of iu- " Burance." Insurance, the Association proceed to say, is neither paid for nor granted as a protection from fire, but to indemnify from loss by fire. Any permanent increase of fire hazard or of expenses of management of insurance companies must, it is affirmed, increase premiums; and any permanent diminution of these must diminish premiums. The existence of fire brigades is a diminution of fire hazard, and consequently tends to the reduction of premiums; whilst contributinn to the maintenance of the brigades increases the expense of management. The Association, it will be seen, asEert that the maintenance of fire brigades is no bu&iners of theirs, but that is tho interest of all citizciis, and more especially of those who insure, as, owing to the diminished ripk, they are able to do so at lower rates. The point is rather strained, however, when ib is argued that the subsidy of a few pounds annually to the Corporation fire-prevention service is such an increase of tho cost of management as to necessitate a higher rate of premium. We do not quite understand the applicability of tho last five paragraphs of the digest to the question at issue. The Association, having previously set forth certain reasons why they do not any longer intend to u, subsidy to the Corporation, here affirm that "tho public spirit of insuring associations " has always led them to reeognise the services and public spirit of volunteer fire "brigades by voluntary contributions." but that "voluntary contributions to corpora- " tions diminish the power of these associa- " tions to make contributions to fire brigades " direct or through their sick and accident "funds. Corporations accepting voluntary "contributions from insuring associations " stand in the way of aid to volunteer fire "brigades by diverting the liberality of the "associations," It would certainly appear as broad as it is long, whether a certain mm of money is paid to the Brigade direct or to the City Council for the specific purpose As the law stands at present borough councils have definite powers under the Municipal Corporations Act in respect of the prevention of fires. They may appoint fro inspector?, and agree with fire brigade fc? the payment of such remuneration as may be thought fit. There is, however, co objection to institute or maintain fire brigades. This state of things has for some time not been considered altogether satisfactory, as leaving too much to tho discretion of the councils. In 18S0 a Fire Prevention and Fire Brigades Bill waa introduced, and very nearly passed. An almost exact copy was brought in tho next year by Mr Stevens, of Chrisfcchurch. This Bill provided for the procuring the necessary machinery, implements, and appliances for the extinction of fires by the municipal corporation?, and gave powers to those bodies to levy a rate not exceeding Id in the £, if required, for this purpose. There was, further, a provision that the insurance companies should contribute 1§ percent, per annum of the premiums received. This Bdl, through the influence of the insurance companies, so it was understood at tho time, was thrown out when in Committee of tne House. In 1882 Mr Levestam, of Nelson, introduced a Fire Brigades BUI, which was much the same as the Bill of 1881, except that the provision for taxing insurance companies was excised. This Bill was, on the motion of Mr Fish, ordered to bo read a cecond time " this day eix months." Tho reasons put forward by the icsuranco companies for discontinuing their contributions to fire brigades commend themselves to our minds as so many arguments in favor of dispensing with fire insurance companies altogether. If corporations are expected to provide means for the extinction of fires, and thus to some extent insure the property of the municipality by levying a rate, why not go further and levy a compulsory insurance rate ? As the matter stands, no person or persons are more deeply interested in subsidising a fire brigade than the insurance companies, for their profits depend upon reducing risk to a minimum. Their proposition in reality amounts to something like saying to tho insurers : " We will take "your money, and you shall pay for the "means of securing it to us by putting out "fires as they occur."