FIRES ON WOOL AND FLAX SHIPS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13675, 18 August 1906, Page 10

FIRES ON WOOL AND FLAX SHIPS.

(Pbs United Pmss. Association.) WELLINGTON", August 17. Giving evidence before the Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the causes of fires on vessels carrying wool and riax, Captain Moffatt. of the steamer Maman, said that ho had been in the trade for the past. 30 vears. and during that, time two cases of spontaneous combustion had come under his notice. He had seen wool so hot that it. was hardly nossiblc to put one s hand on it. Witness was at Homo when the Gothic arrived. When the bales of wool were brought up on the wharf the interior of one 'bale was found to Ije absolutely eaten away, while it looked all right on the outside. In his mind there was no doubt that spontaneous combustion did take place. Continuing his evidence, witness said he was of opinion that the rocent fires might bo attributed to three causes-one, damp wool; two, the presence of grease in the wool: three, the use of chemicals in treating the wool prior to its being baled. Professor Kasterfield. of Victoria College, in giving evidence, ..aid, in order to find out the cause- of these fires, it would bo nccesßury to carry out a scries of experiments with wool under the saino conditions as prevailed aboard ships. It woidd t-ecm the wool shipped greasy might bo a greater danger than wool properly cleaned and dried. Moisture, with surroundings infected with bacteria, would bring about rapid oxidisation. Tho raising of, the temperature might ho purely chemical or bacteriological, but assuming that it was bacteria, a system of .sterilisation would get over the difficulty. That might ho settled by experiment, as well as making experiments with bales of wool, subjecting them to varying conditions of moisture, and so on. WJiat they wanted to find out for a certainty were tho conditions under which firo would occur. Mr Foster: Don't you consider.that you could conduct certain experiments, and then give us evidence upon them?— Witness: Any experiments of this kind would have to extend over several months. Fires have not occurred until vessels have nearly reached Home. I would suggest a. small conunittco of experts to conduct the experiments. The Commissioner; expressed themselves in favour of this course, but did not wish tho period of. making the experiments prolonged, as it had to present its report within a staled time. Professor Easterfteld said the commission would have to hear the expense of tho experiments. Ho had suggested to nrivate people that by spending probably £500 or so in oxueriments • they could wttlc vary clearly the conditions under -which fires wero likely to oocu.r. Mr Foster: Will you take steps to ascertain what exports would act on tho committee and the probable cost of the experiments, so that wc may decide whether wo thai! qo on with such experiments? Professor Eastertide): I shall be happy to do so.