HEAVY FIRE LOSSES

Taranaki Daily News, 5 September 1930, Page 7

HEAVY FIRE LOSSES

“DOWNRIGHT CARELESSNESS? DUTY DEVOLVING ON PUBLIC. Modern fire stations, full equipment and well-trained men werp all very well, said the Minister of Internal Affairs, Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle, at the opening of the new Northland lire station at Wellington on Wednesday, but a duty devolved upon the public as well, for unfortunately far too many people were extremely careless where fire was concerned. A big percentage of fire waste was directly traceable to down- ' right carelessness. “The loss as a consequence of fire for the year ended December 31, 1929,” said \ the Minister, ’'‘amounted to over £1.500,000. The regrettable part of the matter is that very much of it should bo easily preyentible, for the majority of outbreaks arc due to carelessness. Conclusive evidence of such carelessness lies in the fact that during the 12 months ended March 31, 1930, in the fire districts, no less than 457 outbreaks were reported as due to the current being left or. electric irons, kettles or heaters; gas left on rings and stoves; airing clothes before the fire; live ashes thrown out in the backyard, .and so