EL—6b

1917. NEW ZEALAND.

FIRE BRIGADES OF THE DOMINION. APPENDIX TO THE REPORT BY THE INSPECTOR OF FIRE BRIGADES FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30th JUNE, 1917.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

The Inspector of Fibe Brigades to the Hon. the Minister op Internal Affairs. Office of Inspector of Fire Brigades, Sir,— Wellington, 20th August, 1917. Herewith I have the honour to submit an analysis relative to the fires reported as having occurred throughout the fire districts for the year ended 30th June, 1917, together with the following tables: — (1.) Summary of calls attended by each brigade. (2.) Fire loss in each district. (3.) Annual cost of each brigade. (4.) Summary of the causes of fires in each district. (5.) Personnel and equipment of each brigade. Nine new circuits with eighty-two new call-boxes have been added to the street fire-alarm installations. Only two new auto-detector fire-alarm installations have been put in during the twelve months. The total number of calls received by the brigades throughout the fire districts was 775, as against 749 for the previous year, an increase of 26. There has been a decrease in the number of actual fires, 421 (457), decrease 36, as also in "out of district" fires, 28 (26), decrease 2; but an increase under other headings—viz., chimney fires, 62 (57), increase 5 ; bush and rubbish fires, 82 (54), increase 28; false alarms, 184 (153), increase 31. Of the 421 fires 9 are reported as due to incendiarism, 6 as very suspicious, 10 occurred in unoccupied premises, and 156 as of unknown origin. Losses throughout the fire districts: The heaviest district losses occurred in Auckland (£33,445), Hamilton (£26,967), and Hastings (£24,315); the total loss for the twelve months ended 30th'June amounting to £142,176, as against £99,271 for the previous twelve months, an increase of £42,905. Losses throughout the Dominion : The insured loss throughout the Dominion for the year ended 31st December, 1916, was £402,373. Following the same line of deduction as adopted in previous years, and adding 33J per cent, to the ascertained insurance loss so as to arrive at the approximate fire waste, the total loss for the year ended 31st December, 1916, is thus shown to amount to £536,497, a decrease for the year of £86,060 as compared with the average waste per year for the previous eight years—that is, since 31st December, 1907. The losses throughout the fire districts and the losses throughout the Dominion quoted above are each for a term of twelve months, but ending at different periods of the year ; and the insured loss for the simultaneous twelve months ended 31st December, 1916, is for the Dominion £402,373, and for the fire districts £92,055, or 22-88 per cent, of the total loss. I have, &c, Thos. T. Hugo, Inspector of Fire Brigades. The Hon. the Minister of Internal Affairs.

I_H. Ob.