UP-TO-DATE METHODS IN WOOL HANDLING

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 80, 28 December 1917, Page 4

UP-TO-DATE METHODS IN WOOL HANDLING

MESSRS. MURRAY/ROBERTS & COMPANY'S "FINE NEW WOOL STORE

AN IMPORTANT LINK BETWEEN THE GROWER AND THE MANUFACTURER

Wellington is the main port for the richest district in Neiv Zealand, and is the largest wool shipping port. There has been a very large development in the wool-selling business in Wellington, which is now the greatest wool-selling centre in the Dominion, having held the premier position since the 1914-1915 season. The growth of the sales has materially increased the demand for proper accommodation for wool showing, and it is to meet the requirements of tho business that Messrs. Murray, Roberts, and Co., Limited,' have'erected the commodious premises ( now in their occupation. This is a two-story building of brick

ly arched, the opening in each arch forming a vcrtilator. The elevations are tastefully finished in red pressed brick, with cement facings. Bulk Handling. Rapid and efficient handling of produce of any kind in bulk is one of the main problems of present-day storage and distribution. It applies to wheat, for which great elevator depots are required, and it also applies with increasing importance to wool. The New Zealand wool clip, converging by bun* dreds and thousands of bales upon the, ports of shipment for oversea, creates problems of storage and bulk handling

ent points, ensuring a regular and economical use of the floor space. The contractors for the building are Messrs. Campbell and Burke. Tho ground floor is divided into three, main apartments—a wool store, 160 ft. x 150 ft., a merchandise store, 70ft. x 125 ft., and a hides and skins store, 115 ft. x. 48ft. The western frontage opens out on to the double railway track, whilst overhead there are hatches provided with electric hoists to load and unload goods direct into railway trucks. There aro nine of these electric hoists commanding hatchways, iu addition to wool chutes. On

and hardwood timber, designed by Messrs. Crichton and M'Kay, architeots. The building stands at the corner of Waterloo , Quay, to which it has a frontage of 226ft>, and Cornwell Street, to which the frontage is 190 ft. The building' extends back from Cornwell Street 255 ft., and the back wall covers a width of 201 ft. On tlie frontago to Cornwell Street (one of the new streets that traverse the reclaimed land frofn west to east, and named after the boy hero of the Jutland naval battle) there is a space of 33ft. for a double railway track traversing the whole length of the building. One does not look for special architectural beauty in a wool store, but in this building an ornamental touch is added by each-of the, windows being massivo-

that Messrs. Murray, Roberts, and Co., Ltd., have faced and surmounted with conspicuous success. Every essen* tial point of the handling system designed for the equipment of the new ■store conforms to the requirements of speed and efficiency. Tho link-belt system is used as the vehicle of handling the bales from onepart of the building, to another. Imagine an endless chain, the links, at the sides of which aro supports, serving as the carriers for the bales. In conjunction with this is the automatic stacking equipment, by which tho bales can be stacked from the link belt at the point at which the stack is to be built. Electric points ajt short intervals of 20 feet make it possible to connect up the stacking apparatus at convsnl-

the ground floor there is also an office for the shed staff,'a buyers' luncheon room, and a similar-room for the men. For "Showing." ' The whole' of the top floor is one vast unpartitioued room, capable of ."showing" upwards of 7000 bales. It is important to bear in mind that the showing of wool intended for salo by auction or for valuation, under the existing Imperial regulation, calls for space and light. And these are amply provided in this new. store. In tho roof there are between 700 and 800 sheets of glass, each 7ft. x 2ft., so that it may be said that the roof is practically all of glass, admitting southern light to every part of the top floor.

The wool is shown in tiers, there being three bales in a, tier, the contents of the centre bale being exposed for the wool-buyers to examine and to assess the value. There is a gangway between each tier about 6ft. in width, enabling the valuers to inove about freely, and to carry out their operations with the utmost comfort. The top floor is 13ft. high to the girders, which will givo some idea of the spaciousness of tliis wool-showing floor. Already 13,000 bales of wool for purchase by the Imperial authorities have been received iuto this store, and about 9000 bales

have been valued, and a further catalogue of 3000 bales will be valued early in January. Messrs. Murray, Roberts and Co. have now the ■ largest single floor'in Wellington'for' showing wool. In accessories—in everything that makes for expeditious handling, inwards and outwards, and in everything that makes for tho convenience and comfort; of buyers and sellers and staff—every provision' has been made, and tho store is a further testimony to the growing importance of Wellington as the premier port in New Zealand for the handling of wool and other pro-