FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17065, 25 July 1917, Page 4

FIRES AND EXPLOSIONS

• OUTBREAKS ON SHIPS. DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT. CFnaii Ode Owx Cobbkspondbnt.) _. WELLINGTON, July 24. i) ires and explosions on board ships laden with benzme formed the subject of a question aadressed by Mr Poole to the Minister of Marine in the House to-day. Mr Poole asked the Minister whether his attention Had been drawn to tho most recent report of such an explosion Explosions had occurred on four steamers. Tho Hon. G. W. Russell said the Marine .Department had been watching this matter very closely. Reports were received, particularly m connection .with the case of an erosion off Gisborne some two months ago. We had not had so much experience of handling large quantities of inflammable oils as they had had in other countries He proposed to _ get a statement of what had been dono in other countries, and in the meantime regulations' would he issued making it a penal offence for any person on board a ship to approach stores of inflammable oil with a naked light. Some of these explosions had oocurred in holds and some in other parts of ships, and he thought the danger might have been averted if it had been made a penal offence for anyone to approach tho stores of oil vrith a naked light. Mr Payne asked whether the Marine Department had considered the possibility of some of the fires, that had broken out on troopships having been brought about bv the criminal use of certain chemicals Mr Russell said his attenton had not been drawn to this possibility, but ho would hive a report made on t.ho subject and refer the' question to tho Government Analyst for his opmion.