HANDLING OF BENZINE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 138, 28 February 1918, Page 6

HANDLING OF BENZINE

POOR TIN AND OIL TANK VESSELS

DISCUSSION BY HARBOUR BOARD

At tho meeting of the Harbour Board last- evening the following letter—following upon the explosion on the lima —was received from the superintendent of the Wellington Fire Brigade:— "Dear Sir,— Following on tho explosion on board the s.s. Huia at No. 11 Queen's Wharf to-day, I desire to draw your attention to tho growing frequency of explosions on shipboard from bunzine, etc., on the coast of the .Dominion. A similar accident, attended with injury to one of the crow, occurred on board the s.s. Breeze while lying at No. 13 Queen's Wharf on July 23 last. Considerable danger exists in the handling of this class of commodity from the fact that, mixing vapour from the fluid with the air creates a highly explosive gas, tho fierceness and rapidity with which tho spirit burns causing a most difficult fire to o'eal with, water being_ of little or no use in extinguishing it. It has been my lot to see many cases of bennine, etc., standing among general cr.rgo at various parts of the wharves, waiting shipment. Should a naked light be carelessly dropped near one of'the cases whiclrat the time may be in a leaky condition tho result to the benzine and the surrounding cargo is obvious. Consequent upon tho difficulty of obtaining first-grade tin for the carrying of the spirit, an inferior quality is now being used, which will not stand the same amount of handling in the transhipping necessary to take it to its ultimate destination withont increasing the danger from leaky tins, thereby aggravating the position. Before anything of a more.serious nature does occur from this sourco in Wellington, attended probably with serious loss to your board, and property, may ', be permitted to suggest, if practicable, that this commodity be transhipped from somo part of the wharves set ;isido for that purpose, where tho general public could be prevented from gaining access, and with proper control over naked lights. This would also have the effect of causing the wharf workers to nay tho respect this bpirit requires in the handling, and not be bumped about as general cargo, lt should be taken- on board last and unshipped first. This matter is a serious oue, and I am sure will meet with your sympathy in the old adage that 'an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.'" The chairman .said that the handling of benzine on the ships was beyond the province of the board, which was only concerned with it whilst it was on or about tho wharves, when the board did its best, by posting men, to seo that sio harm resulted. He recognised that it was a difficult question. • The ships were outside their control, but tbero H'ere thoso who must bo annoyed at the wireless way the benzine was handled. His attention had been called to tho matter by the workers blaming other people, but it was the careless manner in which the stuff was handled by the men en tho wharves and ships that caused the risk. That could bo seen almost any day. He asked that tho harbourmaster and wharfinger be requested to draw up n, report making suggestions as to how the benzine might be handled with ft greater measure of snfetj' than is the case at present. Mr. M. Cohen was of opinion that tho matter was of such moment that Hie engineer should be called upon to report on tho desirability of providing a receiving station or wharf for benBine, since it had become a part of tho national and industrial life of the country. He referred to the pending necessity of having'to provide for the coming of the oil-tank steamer, and asked, in that connection, whether it was true that a firm interested in oil had offered to build a wharf for the handling of benzine and hand it over to the board, which offer was refused. ,

Both tho chairman and engineer stated that they knew nothing of it.

Mr. Cohen said that sooner or later the requirements of the tank steamers would have to be met.

Mr. Marchbanks (tho board's engineer) said that Cameron and Co. had written to tho bonrd about putting down a tank for themselves, and the board had advised that it was a matter for the City Council (their premises being within the boundaries of the city), and they would jrive no authority for jSiich a provision. Mr. Fletcher said the subject was allied to the new reclamation scheme (the Kaiwarra bight). They were getting close to the kerosene .stores as it was, and perhaps some provision might ho made for the future, but he hardly thought that the Harbour Board should provide such facilities. The chairman said that included in the plans of the new reclaimed land as they woukl like to see it, was provision for coal-bins. , Ho did not know whether the members of the board were aware of the fact, but in Wellington three men were called upon co do work which could bo better done by one man. Mr. Fletcher: That's a matter for the shipping companies I The chairman: "But we're paying for if-, and tho companies make a 'profit out of it." Continuing, , he said that in the plans provision was being made for a tank for the storage of oil. Mr. Cobbo reminded tha board that many steamers wore now driven b.v oil, and they must lie able to replenish their supplies or they would not come to Wellington. Mr. J. W. M'Ewan raid that he oould see no essential difference between stores ashore and ships full of benzine lying alongside the wharf. He wished to know what inspection, if any, took place in the case of ships discharging benzine. Whoso work was. it."

Mr. Fletcher: The Marine Department's.

Mr. M'Ewan: How do they operate?

The chairman said there were two officers'who inspected tho ship's gear, etc. It was out. of the hoard's province. All the hoard had to do -ras to look after it when it was on the wharf.

Captain M'Artluir said that tbe smaller vessels usually carried from 50 to 100 ensos, whHi which stacked on deck, and thn duty of the officers -,v;is to see that there were pronor passages left, that no tins were leaking, and that they wore properly lashed so that they would not. shift. Because of that urovinion all benzine had. to ho loaded before d".rk—if it was not loaded by dark it was shut out. Tf siifli vessels had to shift to a special wharf, there would be a falling off in the trade.

'Thp motion was tarried unanimously.