FIRES ON WOOL SHIPS.

Feilding Star, Volume I, Issue 134, 5 December 1906, Page 3

FIRES ON WOOL SHIPS.

At Wellington yesterday the Wool Fires Commission held a meeting in committee to consider evidence which had been offered, and to direct tests and experiments in view of recent reports received from London. The Commission then proceeded to Petone, and in conference, with Mr \ickery Burridge determined the amount of moisture to be added to the various samples of wool which are being experimented upon. Quantities of wool of every class *nd quality necessary for testing have been procured and manipulated to ascertained proportions. These bales have now been packed and dumped, and stored tinder conditions resembling as near as can be those of a ship's hold. Daily observations will be taken of the progress of temperatures, and it m hoped and expected that the ultimate, results will be a solution of the problem of spontaneous combustion in relation to conditions and time, and the class of wool which more readily lends itself to the germination and multiplication of the troublesome bacteria. These experiments must of necessity take some time, and in view of the fact that each of those vessels which have recently been on fire had its wool cargo on board for from five to six weeks, it is not to* be expected that the ultimate results can be ascertained before a similar period has elapsed.