THE GOTHIC.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1782, 13 June 1906, Page 2

THE GOTHIC.

FLAX EXPERTS THROW BLAME

ON WOOL.

.(Per Press Association.) Wellington, last night. DisoussiDg tbe recent fire on the Gothic, Mr Bitobie, Secretary of Agriculture, says; “ I am inclined to think that wool is more to blame than ffax.” He Baid that it had -been a bad season for shearing, and there most have been a good deal cf damp wool ba'ed, He did not think that any qaan tity of damp lump could have gut on board Tbe Government graders would not allow hemp to go nn to a etram-r before it was dried. Graders opened a oertain proportion of bale-, p -rhaps 10 per cent., aod drew banks from a still 1-rg r proportion, till they were satisfied about the coudition of the material. Paroels that were found to be damp were hung up in the harbor board's shed to dry. Here, too, flax was s’ored till it was shipped, so that no water oould ret eh it. He had

just been conversing with an expert chemist, and his authorities’ opinion was that wool was more likely than hemp to be at tbe to'.tom of the fire trouble. “ Wool is praot’oilly not examined at all,” resumed Mr Ritohie, “and I think wool is a more dangerom art’cle. Wool ought to be scrutinised just as o'osely as hemp, espeoially after such a season bb the last one. Seme people could not afford to wait to get their sheep dry before shearing.”

11 1 think the theory of sprntaneous combustion of flax is not oorreoi,” rema ked an expert with eight years’ex perienoe in handling flax. “It will bum if oil gets on it, but not with water. If flax is wetted it gets a little warm, (u r ns blaok, aod rots away. Ho slated that bis observations did not extend to the behavior of wet flix in a closed hold, but he j had seen stacks tf it wet for yearp, and had never seen any firo io the mass. Though he d-d not believe ia the spontaneous I combustion theory, be coneidered that it should be properly tested.” I The general opinion cf fiaxmill experts was that hemp would not fire unler the action of water, but would burn qu'cker than anything when once it was set alight.