HOW FIRES ORIGINATE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 869, 26 October 1888, Page 14

HOW FIRES ORIGINATE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALAND MAIL. Sir, —The insurance companies have recently largely increased their tariff rates in consequence, as they state, of the frequency of fires, particularly in country districts. The following incident points to the cause of a very large proportion of those fires as to the origin of which there is no explanation generally discovered. A friend of mine, standing in a stable, saw a horse tread on a wax vesta match, which instantly ignited, the flames spreading among the litter. He quietly watched before putting it out till ho saw that, but for his presence, the whole building would have been in flames in a few minutes, and neither the horses nor anything else would have been saved. This would have beers just one of the unexplained fire 3 I have referred to above. I am quite sure that in one way or other it is a thing of common occurrence. So impressed am I with the danger of using these matches that I have at once posted notices in allmy promises absolutely prohibiting their use by any people in my employ, under penalty of dismissal. 1 write this in the hope that my example will be generally followed, and if so, I am certain thac before long the insurance companies will be able to reduce their, rates. A man who laid trains of gunpowder about his premises would be pronounced a lunatic, but these matches are quite as’dangerous, and there is no valid excuse for their U3e, as the “ Safely Matches ” aro cheap and convenient. Thoss who do not like the wooden, ones can obtain the wax kind made on the “safety” principle. The Government and all public bodies should at once do ns I am doing, and tho effect of their example would soon be to put a stop to this source of danger. —I am, &c., Charles Phakazyn. Longwood, Featherston, Oct. 19.