A REAL ECONOMY.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 March 1931, Page 6

A REAL ECONOMY.

There is one direction in which the Dotiiinioh might economise to the extent of many thousands of pounds annually without in the least interfering, except for their benefit, with earnings or profits. Losses by fire cost New Zealand well over a million a year, quite apart from any special disasters such as those following the earthquakes in the West Coast and Hawke’s Bay. According to the Census and Statistics Office, and to the Chief Inspector of Fire Brigade’s, Mr. T. M. Hugo, the larger proportion of the fires sre due to simple carelessness. The official figures are illuminating. In the five years 1924-29 there were 1557 fires due to the misuse of electrical appliances, qnost of them not due to any inherent hazard in the use of electricity, but due to faulty construction or careless use. No fewer than 749 of these fires were due to the current being “left on” with electric irons, and the cost to the country of these 15'57 fires was £354,0'67. Nor is that the total culpability of the householder. Sparks and embers from fireplaces caused 5147 fires and cost the Dominion £322,511. Careless airing of clothes set up 1056 fires, 548 were due to the habit of smoking in bed, 512 to carelessness in the disposal of lighted cigarette ends,, and 469 to the dropping of lighted matches. The improper use of inflammable spirits was responsible for 5072 fires costing £124,196, and the use of naked lights nefjr bed clothing and curtains was the origin of 1292 more. A reduction in' the last class of fires has been indicated • during the five years under review, but the Statistician thinks this is due more to the increased use of electric light than to any increase in careful handling of naked lights. The indictment is a strong one and applies to all clashes of society. It proper care were exercised the fire loss bill of the Dominion cbuld be halved, and this saving of £500,000 a year would reduce rather than add to the burdens of a single individual. Commonsense should indicate the value of united effort in this regard.',