PROPERTY FIRES

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 October 1946, Page 3

PROPERTY FIRES

CONSIDERABLE INCREASE IN NUMBER DOUBLE PRE-WAR AVERAGE It was necessary to call attention to the very considerable increase in the number of property fires occurring, stated Mr. R. Girling-Butcher, Inspector of Fire Brigades, in his annual report on the fire brigades of the Dominion tabled in the House of Represenatives. Mr. Girling-Butcher said that the average in fire districts for the five-year period 1940-45 was 989. In 1944-45 there were 1391 property fires, and last year the number- had increased to 1801, or nearly double the pre-war average. “The fact that losses have not increased proportionately,” added the report, “is probably due partly to. an element of luck and partly to the increased efficiency of the fire service and- the improvement resulting from the intensive training during the war years and the supply of additional equipment purchased for emergency purposes. “If the increase in the number of fires continues, the initiating of some fire-prevention measures will be a matter for urgent consideration by the proposed central authority, should legislation on the lines proposed be prepared during the coming year.” The considerable increase in the fire loss in fire districts last year was mainly due to an unusually high loss in large fires. Practically half the loss last year and the preceding yeqr had been due to serious fires in Govern-

ment stores—at Palmerston North in 1944-45 and at Te Awamutu last year. M. Girling-Butcher said that fact was stressed, because £-243,700 out of the £251,270 loss at Palmerston North and the whole of the £415,000 loss at Te Awamutu (R.N.Z.A.F. stores) were Excluding the fires in Government stores,, the loss in fire districts for 1945-46 did not disclose any abnormal increase not accounted for by. .the increased replacement value of property.