FIRES.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 1902, 23 April 1913, Page 6

FIRES.

THE MORAL RISK. NEW ZEALAND WORST. [PreM Association. —By Telegraph. Wellington, April 22. New Zealand's fire loss rate was referred to by the President of the Chamber of Commerce to-day. He aaid the losses had amounted to \/ 2 millions in the past eight years. The amount per head last year was l«s Id, which was about a world s record, against 10s 2d for the United States, and Is id for Europe. Wooden buildings must be largely responsible for the heavy loss, but many of the fires occurred in the best risks and blocks. Over, insurance or full insurance might be a contributory cause, and was one to a certain extent in the linnus ot companies to remedy, though insurance was largely a matter of good faith on the part of the assured, and the 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 Dominion now is so severe that it behoves all interested to find a remedy. The most practicable one appears to be the compulsory holding of an enquiry after every fire.