The Globe. TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1878.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1289, 7 May 1878, Page 2

The Globe. TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1878.

The intelligence convoyed by telegraph of the recent accident at Wellington by the explosion of kerosene should act as a warning to us. From the analysis made by Hr. Hector after the occurrence the oil was found to ignite at lOodeg. Falir., and after being warmed at lOOdeg. or loss. The danger of this state of things being allowed can hardly bo over-esti-mated. Largo importations of oil are allowed to como in to the various ports and cities of the colony without anything like a test being applied as to their safety or otherwise. The oil thus imported goes largely into consumption, and the only wonder is, when wo find a sample exploding at so low a temperature as the one just spoken of, that more accidents have not occurred ere this. It is a wellknown fact that, in tho colonial markets there is abundance of cheap oil which, from this very fact, is most extensively used, but which also possesses all the 1 elements of danger. At present there is practically no protection for tho public. They buy kerosene oil indiscriminately, and it is a more matter of chance whether it ignites at a low temperature or not. Nor is the storekeeper any bettor off. He certainly knows that several well-known brands are first quality oil, but there is oven in connection with those brands no certainty as to the heat at which they will explode. It will thus bo seen that practically there is no tost whatever as to tho explosive character of any oil in the market. There is, it is true, an Inspector of Dangerous Goods presumedly appointed under tho Act of 18(59, who combines with this tho office of Inspector of Weights and Measures; but wo have never hoard that ho is in the habit of making tests of kerosene oil under tho provisions of tho Act. In Yictoria and Now South Wales explosions from bad kerosene became so frequent and fatal that the Government insisted upon a rigid inspection of all oils entering the market. This was carried out under tho supervision of the Government Analyst, and all samples which failed to como up to a certain standard were condemned, and were not allowed to go into consumption. Tho result was that accidents from explosions of kerosene became rare, and these only from carelessness on the part of those using it. It is high time that something of the kind was done hero. Wo require, as in the case of Sydney and Melbourne, a competent professional man who will bo able to examine samples of all oils imported prior to their going into the market. Further than this, the inspector should issue, as was done in Melbourne, pi’actical instructions, so that householders may be enabled to test for themselves any oil of which they are suspicions. These instructions, advertised throughout the newspapers, would bo invaluable iu country districts, whore, of course, a great deal of kerosene is burnt. With the probability that life may be saved by the timely adoption of the precautions, wo have urged, it is to bo hoped that some stops will bo taken to carry out tho provisions of the Dangerous Goods Act strictly. Not that such a course is likely to be productive of much good. But if inferior oils are sold in the market tho public have a right to know what they are purchasing. Clause 15 of tho Act is as follows—“ No person shall sell or expose for sale for uso within tho colony of Now Zealand any petroleum as iu this Act defined unless the bottle or vessel containing such petroleum have attached thereto a label in legible characters stating as follows—' Dangerous—no light to bo brought near.’ Any person acting iu contravention of this section shall for each offence be subject to a penalty not exceeding £5." It will thus bo seen that the duty of tho officer appointed under tho Act is to see that all oils intended for sale bear the tost, and if not that they are specially labelled as provided iu the sections quoted above. If this is done, of course tho public will at once bo able to discern the dangerous oil from that safe to use iu lamps, and, of course, will not purchase tho former. At present, however, the Act is practically a dead letter, aud, as this is the case, should bo amended iu the direction of making it punishable with fine for any dealer to offer for sale oil which will not bear the test, whether labelled “ Dangerous ” or not. Iu order that the public may, if they thiuk fit, take precautions for ascertaining the purity or otherwise of oil sold, wo republish the schedule to the Dangerous Goods Act, 1869, giving directions for applying the flashing test to oil The vessel which is to hold the oil shall be of thin sheet iron it shall be two inches deep two inches wide at the opening tapering slightly towards the bottom it shall have a flat rim with a raised edge one quarter of an inch high round the top it shall be supported by this rim in a tin vessel four inches aud a half deep and four and a half inches in diameter it shall also have a thin wire stretched across the opening which wire shall be so fixed to the edge of the vessel that it shall be a quarter of an inch above the surface of the (lit rim The thermometer to be used shall have a round bulb about half an inch in diameter and is to be graduated upon the scale of Fahrenheit every ten degrees occupying not less than half an inch upon the scale. The inner vessel shall be filled with the petroleum to bo tested but care must be taken that the liquid does not cover the flat rim The outer vessel shall be filled with cold or nearly cold water a small (lame shall be applied to the bottom of tho outer vessel and the thermometer shall be inserted into the oil so that the bulb shall be immersed about one and a half inch beneath the surface A screen of pasteboard or wood shall be placed round the apparatus and shall bo of such dimensions as to surround it about twothirds and to reach several inches above the level uf the vessels. When heat has been applied to the water until the thermometer has risen to about ninety degrees Fahrenheit a very small (lame shall bo quickly passed across the surface of the oil 09 a level witH the wire If no pale blue flicker or (lash is produced tho application of the (lame is to be repeated for every -use of two or three degrees in the thermometer. When tho flashing point has bc'O noted the test shall he repeated with a ffesh sample of the oil using cold or nearly cold water as before withdrawing the source of heat from the outer vessel when the temperature approaches that noted in the first experiment and applying the (lame test at every rise of two degrees in the thermo- • meter.