HANDLING FROZEN MEAT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1590, 6 November 1912, Page 10

HANDLING FROZEN MEAT.

I NEED FOR ABSOLUTE CLEANLINESS HARBOUR BOARD INDICTED. HE. FLETCHER IN REPLY. Some striking statements in regard ti the handling of frozen meat on tho whar are made in a general report just issuet by the Associated North Island Freezin; Companies of New Zealand, which repon covers, the business of the conference o] the Associated Companies held sonic litth 'time back.. Harbour Board Methods. Under the heading, "Harbour Boards,' the report has the following to say. regard ing meat on the wharf:—"(a) We regret to report that tho Wei lington Harbour Board does not appear t< recognise the necessity for the utmosl cleanliness possible where the handling oi frozen meat, is coiiecrjied. It sometime; happens that a 'meat boat\is berthed kt a berth .lately- occupied by a coal boat oi some-boat of annually objectionable .nature, and the wharf not having been cleaned tip previous ,to the berthing of th< meat boat, the wharf is often covered with coal dust and offensive matter, and 'in a state quite unfit, to uso for loadiiifi of frozen meat into a steamer. Also, if frequently, happens, that the chains at.tached. to the hydraulic cranes are so thickly smeared with grease that the grease drops off in lumps -on tho wharf, steftmer decks, and down- the holds, making.a filthy mess of any meat' that comes in contactwith it. We, therefore,'recommend that ihe Harbour Board be requested to take the necessary steps to minimise the amount of thick grease'dropping off the crane gear, and that the whari at which a steanicr'is-loading frozen meat shall be kept' clean "and free from coal dust and offensive : dirt. "(b) Owing to carelessness on the part of the Harbour Board's men' when discharging casks from trucks or carts on the wharf the chimes are, often broken. .We, therefore, recommend that this matter be brought under the notice of the/ Harbour Board, and tliey be asked to exercise' more .enre in order to prevent the breaking oi chimes. ' , "The absence of any shelter for tally ,clerks results in the tally, sheets getting wet, and at times almost undecipherable. We, 'therefore, recommend that harbour boards be asked to provide 1 shelter foi tally clerks during loading." ' ■ ; ' Dealing With Ships.: . . , Continuing, the report says: "It sometimes' happens'that a truck of meat is broken into just previous to lunch or tea-hour, and the truck is shut up during the ' meal time, and the unloading resumed when the men restart'work. As this is . likely to be "detrimental to the condition of the meat left in the trucks, we recommend that once a truck is broken into and unloading of frozen meat com': urionces, tho unloading of that' truck shall be completed before the men cease work. . • ' "Owing • to the fact that the . wharves are at all times, more or less dirty, particularly in wet weather, .we ar® of opinion that dunnage of not less than 4 -inches in thickness should be put down on the wharf on which to spread tlie slings foi' receiving the ,frozen meat, and beg to recommend accordingly so that' slings' may bo kept'as clean as possible.. ■ Save-alls or Canvas Screens. "We recommend that instead of a canvas/cover ..over the meat in the square of the hatch only beinj* used, that from the square of the' .hatch to' the -building tier be also covered with.canvas. , ..Wo further recommend that,-when .'loading in the; holds of • twin-screw > steamers, after the centre between the tunnels is full, that a staging be rigged from tunnel to tunnel, on which to land slings, and that the-meat be passed 'down to the wings from sluch staging. As : some sliips. loading' from lighters have derricks of, insufficient length to plumb the square of the lighter's hatch, it necessarily follows that much unnecessary rough handling occurs. AVe, therefore, recommend that steamers loading in roadsteads be provided with derricks of' sufficient length to' plumb the -square ,of ' the lighter's hatch. .' "It is essential that the responsible officer or the stevedore be aboard the lighter during loading operations, so that any complaint may he immediately lodged and: receive prompt' attention.. . Tobacco Chewing in the Hold. "We are also of opinion it is essential that a suitable portable retiring-place be provided for the. workmen-in (lie holds of'-steaniei's whilst - engaged ,in loading frozen meat. The attention of the representatives of the shipping-companies that attended the conference was drawn to tho fact'that maiiy. of the'men are verj\careless .in the, handling .of.' frozen meat. The" representatives expressed their inability, owing to the" present state of the labour market, to control their workmen.' "The practice of chcwingt. tobacco in the refrigerated holds -by the worluueu should be stopped as far as possible. "Great damage to meat is caused Where only portion of the hatches are removed during loading operations. This conference therefore submits that'it. is desirable that it be n regulation on ships that sufficient hatches bo', removed to allow ample space for the meat slings to bo lowered into the hold without , touching the conibiugs. "The conference suggests that it be tt recommendation to the shipping companies that they prohibit any coal being landed 'on deck or being carried past a hatch at which frozen meat is being loaded." Mr. Fletcher's Reply. \ \ The above report was shown, yesterday to 111'. R.". Fletcher, chairman of the Harbour Board, who said that it was most extraordinary that such a report should have been published broadcast without the subject * matter in it referring to the board having been submitted to the board.' They hud had absolutely no complaints on tuo score of cleanliness, and as most people were aware the board kept a fairly large staff employed in doing iiothiDg else, but cleaning up- the wharves, it should be made.quite clear that the board lias nothing whatever to do with the shipment of frozen meat. The "trucks Were brought alongside- the vessel, and the meat was transhipped without any assistance from' the .board's stall'. There' may be a little coal-dust about at times, consequent upon a collier having occupied a'berth before the meat steamer, but they had not had any complaints under that head up to tho present. Tho 'complaint regarding the grease falling from' tho chains seemed to be rather petty. He could not say whether 'or not bits of grease fell from' these chains, but they knew' that the chains had to be kept 'easy' with grease to do their work.effectively. ' But what puzzled liinv was that these things had not been brought before • the board. Tho board was always willing to do anything in its power to aid shippers, and improve the shipping facilities of the port, and ho thought that tho least ' the association might have dono wius to have brought these siiinll matters under the notice of the board's officials. "I did not even get i copy of the report," said Mr. Fletcher, in conclusion, "and on my endeavouring to get one I experienced considerable difficulty, and it was only by the courtesy of i private individual: that [ was able to see it. for a few minutes the other day. Anyhow, I have instructed the officials to see if the wharves cannot bo washed lown immediately, after a'collier has finished .discharging, for, as I said before, re are willing and oven anxious to help shippers. As it is, I believe our wharves iro amongst tho cleanest in tho world.''