REFRIGERATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 19 June 1924, Page 5

REFRIGERATION.

—,—- PAPERS BY EXPERTS. INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. IT OABLB-P3ISS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT LONDON, June 17. Fifty papers, dealing with all phases of refrigeration, were read by experts from the leading nations at a meeting of the various sections of the refrigeration congress. In a paper prepared by Mr. William French, refrigerating engineer of the Melbourne, -which was read before the refrigerating transport section, it was stated that in Australia considerable opposition had been expressed against the pre-cooling of fruit, much of which has still to be overcome before a satisfactory trade can be achieved. The antagonism came chiefly from growers and agents, who, because of the trifling expense, preserved a prejudice against the system, f which was calculated to ensure uniformity of quality and good market prices. Although a Victorian Royal Commission in 1915 reported favourably on pre-cooling, the short-sighted views of the opponents of that system prevailed. It was necessary to convince them that their attitude was against their Q"tn interests, for pre-cooling was the only effective preventive against fruit shipments being destroyed, owing to ripeness deteriorating into rottenness. 'Proper, pre-cooling would enormously enhance the export of citrous fruits, which were needed in Britain and Europe. Experience had proved that the pre-cooling of apples was not a waste of time and money, hut the system should bo obligatory. If the temperature of the- fruit- was not quickly and permanently brought to a certain degree, the chance' of successful transportation was small. . The Victorian Institute of Refrigeration in 1922 urged the Government to establish a refrigeration research station, and it was urged that the industry was groping along for want of scientific data. Owing to a political ensis and the changes of Government the realisation of the refrigerators’ 1 hopes made slow progress. Mr. Hawkin', of the United States Department of Agriculture, said experi ments during the last three years had proved that Californian grapes arriving m New York were little different from those pre-cooled. It had been payable to pre-cool Californian cherries and strawberries, which, as a result lasted twenty-four hours longer. The meeting passed a resolution highly commending pre-cooling, but- ex pressing the opinion that it should notbe made compulsory.