[a. tyek.

H.—.29

8

121. Supposing you maintained a very high temperature and then applied a match what would be the effect ?-Most likely it would burn then, after all the grease had been taken out of it. 122. Have you any idea of the maximum amount of heat it would stand?—l have no idea. I only know that it has been so hot that you could not touch it. _ 123 Then wool at that temperature would flare up pretty easily if free?—So long as the moisture was out of it. When it has been reduced to such a state it would crumble up m the hand into little pieces [% burn fey fa . t condition , You would not like to say that at 1500 it would flare up?-No. I know that in the case of a fire at I fellmongery I have been called to see the extent of the damage, and in that case a bale of wool had gone to nothing. You must have a big fire to burn it, and a very great heat. 125 It is a matter of temperature J-Yes. If you only put a small fire under it it would burn for a time, but it would not burn like flax. . . A _~, 126 You heard the questions that were asked of Mr. Burridge as to the chemicals in the wool. —No; lam rather hard of hearing, and did not catch them all. 127 Do vou consider that the chemicals you use in the slipmg of your skins are likely to be a factor'in the cause of fires on wool-ships J-No, it would have spent itself. There is no doubt time should be well slaked. The chemicals are sodium, caustic soda, sulphur, and lime, but they will have spent themselves before the wool is finished with. 128 Owuig to imperfect crushing of the lime, particles of it would be likely to remain: have vou found that so in your experience J-Being in the water, I think it would have spent itself, it would be reduced to a state of chalk. There would be nothing in it to cause any damage would be reduced toa s do nd d to lumn J-Yes So long as you do not put sufficient water on it to drown it, it is perfectly slaked. 130 But if t is imperfectly slaked there will be some danger ?-It would not stay on a second it would remain at the bottom of the tub, and the brush would clean it off. Nothing of secona, n w "" , j It ■ n was h e d under any circumstances, any size at all use to paint the skin is no/a brush, but it is more often a Pi^S°BP^re I the i lru:n » not be likely to pick up the lumps? No ley would be so small that they would spend themselves, and after the washing there would 1,6 the trimmings would be picked over and washed?-Yes, it would be all WaSh l34° fi In * the practice'now to pack them and ship them as glue-pieces? ~ N Very little fellmongering is done now except by the companies. 135. Hie trimmings , we uged t lay -""s to •gz&iscszss s"dhSr. g «.*. «. ~»»»«. -* 13b. Do you consiuei uiau ✓ + c . m nernture? Yes I have known the fat when SeZt £ffS !TS SJSTS hlt'r lii. h* and .hen it get, on to the - Y \ S fe"So" t'SSA'SS £ J«. wool .W-Ok, -*. ttkAem o« »d dry ™*« at which it earn, of the drving--140. Do ."» I 1 "^,"'," 1 ' 'U„ to ?tae in "mwratuje 1-No, the t.mneroture would go down. fSKn.tn^.^^^ ° rder i', 1 v .., then that no matter how much overdried wool may be, it will always recondi--141. You say, then, that no matter n . hit ldo not thlnk you cou ld tion ?-You can hardly overdryit. 1: f > ou °^ er(lr | tien y no g arm whatever would occur to it. overdry it; it is put into bins after be l n f/" e ?' *"* ™i ofi tbe drying-machines and put it into 142. Would you consider it possible to take wool ofi the gng the bales so quickly as to raise -P ™ 7o nC e and tlie temperature always goes down wool off the machines and put it into the * ' • the ess of takin g it off the machines 143. The Chairman.] Does it not wool that there are a few pteKSof rnS e qui; e e S d7y: e and U dry anl hot that absorbs the moisture there may be in these pieces.