FIRES ON WOOL SHIPS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 32, 1 November 1907, Page 9

FIRES ON WOOL SHIPS.

DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE. In tho House of Representatives on Wednesday afternoon Mr. Buddo asked the Minister for Marino (Hon. J. A. Millar) whether the Government will favourably consider tho offering of a rewa-d I-ji tho discovery of some method of testing flax and wool to ascertain tho amount of moisturo contained therein, with a view to inspection of all cargo shipped on Home-going vessels likely to cause spontaneous combustion, in order to prevent as far as possible the present too frequent fires at sea? Mr. Millar replied: "Several inventions for testing flax and wool have been submitted to this department, and if the Government decide to take .up. the testing tho inventions can then be tried, and if any of them are satisfactory it will probably bo unnecessary to offer a reward tor the discovery of a ! method." ' In tho course of a discussion that ensued, Mr. Wilford, stated that he was strongly of opinion that many of the fires wero caused by the indiscriminate dropping of matches by workmen engaged in snips' holds. ' Ho urged ' that a rigid system of inspection should ho instituted'to - prevent fires through such means, and he said that an impost of !fa. a bale, which would not bo felt by shippers, would cover tho cost of a thorough system of inspection at the four principal ports of tho Dominion.