"STRATFORD EVENING POST" WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 1928. TOO MANY FIRES.

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 17, 15 August 1928, Page 4

"STRATFORD EVENING POST" WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 1928. TOO MANY FIRES.

THE General Manager Of the State Fire Office in his annual report draw s attention to the fact that claims for 1927 were very much m excess or those of the previous ye>r. Further the report say s that while the actual causes of the majority of fires remain obscure it would seem that the economic position is very much more important than is generally suspected., The (Chairman of Directors \pZ the New Zealand! Insurance Company, Mr H. Horton, last week, also issued ei word of warning on this subject and suggested that the holdin" of an inquiry into every fire ir'ght have the effect * of lessening the waste which, he described as a seriou s reproach to the community. In addition to the two gentlemen mentioned above, Captain Hugo, the Inspector of Fire Brigades. ha s been hammering away at the problem for many yenrs past, and has, on several occasions, furnished interesting figures relative to the Dominion's growing fire bill. In a recent address he said that over a period of 12 months 1291 fires had occurred or one fire to every 420 of the population, fee compared this positions with that of some of the larger cities of the world, quoting Manchester, Shanghai, Singapore and Ghsgoiv amongst others, where the average worked out at one. to every 1836 of the population. 'Mr Horton> gave) food for thought when he said that 45 per cent, of Now Zealand fires wero due to carelessness. Thi s is a, regrettable feature and one which no effort should be ispUxed to correct. Another unfortunate feature was indicated in the remarks made by Captain Hugo when he said that of tue 1921 nres in the Dominion in a year, 15-1 could be attributed to defective electric wiring or iauity hearth or chimney construction., This indicate es slip shod methods on the part of those entrusted to carry out that particular work, and it would seem that the only way an which the facts of such cases would be, brought out would be by the holding of. inquiries as suggested by Mr Horton. It is thought by many, that in addition to exposing cases of faulty construction, regular police inquiries would also bring to light instances of ism and so act as a deterrent. We do not think however, that m<any ares can be put ciown to the latter cause; the penalties for the crime of arson are so very drastic. On the other hand there is reason to believe that the majority of fires are due to carelessness—culpable carelessness even . and in this connection police inquiries would he of value as they would have an attendjant educational bene-, fit. We are becoming a. very careless people in many ways, and one of our national characteristics is the tendency, to go': our own way without thought or regard' I°'' consequences. In other words too much is left to luck or to chance, and this no doubt plays its part in the country's big lire wastage.

NOTES AND COMMENTS '"United we .stand divided we i'idl does not apply in illc case of a pair of steps. XXX The idea of the "Army" Band playing funeral dirges in the "Sin"' procession in Auckland has now been abandoned and lively tunes are tu, , be played instead. 'No doubt the usual collection will not be overlooked. X X * One is never too' old to be stage struck, or film struck, evidently. An) American paper tells of an cdd lady 1 of 00 who wa s possessed of the desire to shine on the silver sheet, has been wandering arming Hollywood studies, picking up work as ail extra. She Was noticed at last and is nenv: to be a featured player. Bo after alt, age doesn't matter a bit. x x * The row which is now troinir on be-

tween Melba and Clara Butt brings* to mind an experience which befel the hitter's advance manager when lie was arranging for her first tour of New Zealand. This gentleman arrived in a certain town down south audi was fixing the details for Clara 9 appearance with the owner of the local hall. He risked what the chances of a bumper house were, and was somewhat startled to receive the reply: "Oh pretty good. Of course you've got moving pictures too?" XXX There is always something alluring about amateur theatricals especially if the plays are unusual and are well done. Therefore the production of plays set down for Thursday night by the S. MaTy School pupils tafcea on added interest. The pupils have 1 in the past staged some out of the ordinary things and played them exceedingly well, showing careful training and thorough grip of their parts. Thursday night's entertainment die-* serves every support and no doubt will get it. XXX Yesterday -\ve published the story of a single girl in Queensland who fell in love with a married man and

attackedl the wife of the object of her affections with a razor and a ham? iner. For her cave woman efforij she got four years' gaol which should l give her an opportunity to reflect) upon the error of her way.-. The' cable did noij, slay what happened to! the husband, which was rather an unfortunate slip for surely v there would have been much news vaiue in a{ statement about what the wife did M him when she got better, and also, if he had a mother-in-law, what action that person felt called upon! to take. : XX X X We remember the old' time poouJar song which started "Just wbisoer my name to Nell: she will understand" p.- words to thai effect, but iti is doubtful whether the mention ofi the name Clara [Butt in one Itylll Melba would cause the understsm'l-h->or the son<r writer spolre nf. M«lbn obiects strone-.lv to thti refer-en--p in Clara's book in which «ho \s renorted + « bnvr. p/lvjpod tlie other to "sW 'em tiuk-V. it s nIT thev understand" wh»n CHra was cnming ti v\iistralii rvi Tir.~ fl r «t fovMelba of course denies having said* j»n-"tTiin«r 0 f fcj,«s sor t a evidently i> indiwmt at the suo-o-e.<Jtion that' Australians who appreciate Melha so much "can only understand muck." 1 However, Melha. who is as greht a" publicity expert and show wo'nan as she is a singer, did not risk with any of her'concert programmes, for she ailways had a certain number of "muck" items mixed up with t! classical gems.