FIRE EPIDEMIC

Grey River Argus, 23 April 1913, Page 5

FIRE EPIDEMIC

A REMEDY SOUGHT. (Per Pares s. Association). WELLINGTON, April 22. Nfew Zealand's fire loss rate Was referredt to. by the President of the Cham ber of Commerce to-day., He said that the losses amounted 1 to : ;£4js°p,ooo in the past eight years,. The amount per head laist year \yas 12s id, which wii* a;bout the world's (record, against 10s . 2 d for the Unke'd States arid ibs 4d for Europe. Wooden buildings must .be largely raspartsible for the heavy loss, but many of the' fires occurred :n .'the best risks and blocks. Over-insurance: o.r full-nsurance might be a contributory cause ana was one to a certain: extent in the hands of the compariieis to remedy Though insurance '-was largely a matter of good faith on the -part of the assured, insurance companies could not always be blamed in cases of over-insurance. The moral hazard in New. Zealand, he added, may not be low, -but inducements to carelessness should.be avoided. The direct monetary loss to the Doniindbn now ds so ■severe that it behoves all antersted to find a . remedy. The most; practacable. V one appeao-s to be the compulsory holding an inquiry after every fire.