H—l2

difficulties without forcing or even permitting a major trade recession. Excessive fire loss is a national wastage which must of necessity depreciate the economic position of any country. Our present rate of loss is undoubtedly excessive, and if not checked will become a factor seriously affecting our economy. The carelessness of the rank-and-file employee in trade and industry is the cause of most of the rank-and-file fires, as well as of the conflagrations which boost the fire-loss returns. If they are not to learn the hard way, some effort must be made to bring home to both employer and employee the seriousness of the present position. The Fire Services Bill now before Parliament requires the Fire Service Council to encourage, supervise, and carry out fire-prevention activities. The facts set out above indicate that this should not be one of its less important functions. THE LOSS OF LIFE IN FIRES The number of deaths resulting from fires during the year under review was seven —- five in residence fires and two in apartment houses. LARGE FIRES The following table gives details of the fires occurring in fire districts during the year where the loss exceeded £5,000.

Table III —Fires with Loss Exceeding £5,000

NEW LEGISLATION A further redraft of the Fire Services Bill was made during the year after consideration by the Government of the report of the Royal Commission on the Ballantyne fire at Christchurch, The recommendation of the Commission that the Fire Service shou|d be

4

Fire District. ' Day and Date. Time. Occupation of Premises in Which Fire Occurred. Cause of Fire. Loss. Auckland Saturday, 15/1/49 . . 1.37 a.m. 1 Educational Centre Unknown .. £ 25,801 Friday, 21/1/49 2.34 a.m. Brick and tile store and drying19,200 shed 55 Sunday, 20/2/49 11.45 a.m. Apartment house ■ 8,000 Ohristchurch Thursday, 24/2/49 . . 6.31 p.m. Cabinetmaking-factory ,, 16,983 Dunedin Monday, 14/3/49 10.33 a.m. Rope and twine manufacturers 34,233 bulk store Wednesday, 6/10/48 2.40 a.m. Clothing factory, restaurant, Burning embers from 8,986 and shops heating furnace „ Friday, 12/11/48 1.00 a.m. Theatre, factory, offices, and Unknown .. 14,545 wool-store Feilding Wednesday, 12/5/48 2.25 a.m. Flourmill and grain and » 8,015 fertilizer store (Ireymouth .. Saturday, 26/6/48 .. 1.59 a.m. .Brewery bottle-store ,, 8,450 Lower Hutt .. Monday", 24/5/48 11.22 p.m. Woollen-felt mill Suspected spark from 47,611 wool-teasing machine Nelson Monday, 7/6/48 12.30 a.m. Tobacco-factory Overheating of electric 5,435 blower Timaru Monday, 2/8/48 3.33 a.m. Engineers' merchants and wine Unknown 9,520 and spirits store Wellington .. Saturday, 16/10/48 .. 1.04 a.m. Tobacco-factory and clothingNot established — 20,872 factory possibly radiation from gas-heater set on wooden floor Saturday, 30/10/48 .. 10.0S p.m. Wool-store Unknown 87,450 1 £315,101