5

H.—6a

As one of the factors towards the object in view I would, as for years past, strongly advocate the more general installation of private automatic fire-alarms and sprinklers in direct connection with local fire-brigade stations. Seeing the high state of efficiency these alarms have reached, it is much to be regretted that more of them are not installed throughout the Dominion, particularly in the larger wholesale warehouses and department stores. Strong evidence in favour of their general adoption is given in the following extracts taken from a paper entitled "What is Wrong with Fire Insurance," published in the English periodical Fire: "In dealing with an outbreak of fire it must be remembered that the all-important factor is the saving of time, especially when life is endangered. Delay of a few minutes at the commencement of an outbreak may possibly cause loss of life and involve the destruction of a vast amount of property. The remedy then must be something which will detect the hidden fire, and so save the initial few minutes. Rapidity of detection and of service in communicating the alarm being the outstanding features of automatic fire-detectors, the question arises, If all this is correct, why are not more premises protected by these ever-vigilant detectors? After some ten years' working the automatic fire-alarm companies are able to show that the losses sustained by the insurance companies on detector-protected risks are less than 5 per cent, of the premiums paid, as against the average loss-ratio of 53 per cent, in respect of unprotected property." Appended are 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; also detailed reports dealing with each fire district. I have, &c, Thos. T. Hugo, Inspector of Fire Brigades.

1. Summary of Fire Calls.

District. Fires. Chimney False Fires/ and F^ blSh : Alarms. Out of District. i Total. Luckland Ihristchurch )annevirke )unedin feilding risborne rreymouth lastings lawera lokitika iawience laori Hill .. lasterton .. lilton few Plymouth >amaru 'almerston North 'etone Whangarei .. 77 93 7 50 9 22 4 12 4 5 1 2 9 5 6 5 19 10 7 I ' 19 19 43 6 6 150 3 13 7 20 1 1 1 9 1 1 1 1 1 i l l 1 2 3 2 2 8 1 6 1 2 1 1 164 256 12 91 11 33 5 14 5 6 1 3 13 5 10 5 26 18 8 2 i Totals 347 j j 45 42 238 14 686 - I |