WHARF CHEESE STORAGE.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 30, Issue 23, 22 March 1918, Page 6

WHARF CHEESE STORAGE.

ELECTRIC TRACTION A SUCCESS. Commenting upon the big responsibility that devolved upon the Harbour Board (Wellington), of providing cool

storage at the annual meeting of the board last Monday, Mr C. E. Daniell (the chairman) said that there were at present about 108,000 cases of cheese in store, which at about £7 10s per case would bo worth nearly a million sterling.

Experts had certified, he said, to the splendid care of this cheese through the excellent packing and the cooling apparatus so that the dairy produce could stand there month after month without deteriorating. The board had made an endeavour to improve the

handling of the cheese and it was transferred on the wharf on specially made trucks built to carry 12 eases of cheese, which were drawn by an electric tractor. The tractor had proved a success in every way, and the board was quite justified ia developing this system cf

transport. In fact all schemes for the future drawn up by the board's engineer (Mr Marchbanks) were based on electric power. The success of the trucking of the cheese as described above had not been an unqualified success owing to a strange perversity on the part of the shipping companies, who insisted on placing 16 cases of cheese in a not simply because their agreement with the watersiders stipulated that number. The board's annual report states:— “The question of providing extra storage accommodation (beyond the facilities’ afforded by the board's recent additions in its cheese store Z) on account of the abnormal shortage of shipping, we brought before the board at its June meeting by letters from the Agricultural Department and the National Efficiency Board. On a report from its engineer the • board decided to inform the Government that the board was prepared to provide temporary extra cool storage costing £6500 provided that £3250 was guaranteed by way of a subsidy. The chairman reported to the July meeting that the ‘ Prime Minister on behalf of the Government had agreed to advance £3250 towards the cost of construction, repayment to be extended over two years without interest, the Government to be recouped by the board as the surcharge is collected from the shippers or storers of the cheese. The chairman further reported that on receipt of the Prime Miniset's letter ho had instructed the board's engineer to at once proceed with the work. The chairman's action was unanimously approved by the board. At time of writing the temporary building which adjoins the Z store, Waterloo quay, is making good progress towards completion. It is reckoned that space will be afforded in the building for the cool storage of about 50,000 crates of cheese.''—N. Z. Times.