Handling of Refrigerated Cargo

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 139, 29 June 1937, Page 7

Handling of Refrigerated Cargo

J .A.

MILLEE.

Sir, — On Mareh 8 you printed a very interesting and important interview you had -qdth Dr. A. J. Smith, of the LowTemperature Research Siation, Cambridge, England, and with him was Dr. Marsden, of the DepArtmcnt of Seientifie and Industrial Research, New Zealand works will keep up to the treatment of our products, condensed, Wero that "our freeziug works and cool stores were not up to thh latest designs." Not having seen freeziug works in other parts of the world, we cannot comment, though no Uoubt mpdern ideas are coming forward every day for their benefit. We can only hope New 7ealand works will keep Up to the standard. However, managers and engineers in New Zealand should answer this. Dr. Smith's comment on the railway service was: "As fiar as refrigerated produce was concerned. it was adequate, but . there was room for considerable improvement to enable the best service to be given. He then gives great praise to South African railways. Having interviewed the ex-Eailway Board and the present Minister of Railways with a suggestion for the better handling of our meat by improvements in these vans, I met from both the foliowing: "The department is in close touch with the latest developments throughout the world in the methods of traiisport of all classes of goods, and its insulated stoek compares favourably with that elsowhere." Gompare the two opinions! You have also given full publicity to reniiarks from Mr. W. J. Polson, M.P., Mr. J. Hargest, M.P., and Mr. McIndoe, ehairman of the Auckland Harbour Boarcl, and also, at the last meetings of the Napier Harbour Board to a letter from the C. and D. Co. All liave pointed out the careless handling of our meat and other goods. Mr. Polson states the damage to our meat is £1,000,000 a year. Another Farmers' Union president in the South Island says £4,000,000. Now, where and when does this damage occur? Let us follow the tjansfer of meat from freezing chambers to ship's hold and, as we ha,ve a lighter port, we will base our time, costs and expense in loading a lighter with 3200 freight carcases. Insulated railway -vans (not precooled) are haulcd within about 10 feet of the freezing works doors or portholes. These doors aud the vau open oxposdd to the outside atmosphere while 12 men (on an average) carry the carcases from the stock in cliambers to the portholee, transfer froux there to van and stack in tho van, taking two houra. At tho Port tho truck and /insulated lighter open to tho outside a tmosphore, white again 12 men take two hours f.Q transfer from van to lighter, When the Hghtor arrivos al the ship's side hatchcs are romoved on lighter and ship's holds while men place carcases in slings to be hoistod and lowerod to ship's holds — all in the open ait — and handlod by six men in the lighter (besidos the large numbor in the ship's hold), taking another two heurs. You have thus eight handlings of the meat and six hours' exposure. In maln ports thete Would be six handlings ,and i'our hours exposure, Theso handlings and exposure qause the damage. It nccessarily follows that the exposure raisOs the temperature of the meat, and althbugh, before loading, the temperature is brouglit belOw the considerod best standard, the riso of temperature in the meat ig as muclr as 20 deg., hence the result in soft carcases, many of which have to be re.turned to works for reconditioning. In case of wet weather, strikes, delay in arrival of boat, etc., wholo trainloads have had to be returned to works. rehandled and refrozen. Tho extra freezing. beforo loading, the riso in temperature to the boat, tiro oxtra power on boat to reduco the standard temperature must bo costlv to the works and sliip, and must have a detrimental effect on the meat, and the number of handlings must also 1 ivo this effect. All these points must have been tho basis of Mr. Polson's £1,000,000

pecuniary loss td the grower. I am o glad he has at last seen and taken this matter up, as it is over 18 months ago that I gave him the foregoing information and suggested to him the remedy. There- is a remedy — i.e., haviug the insulated railway vans separate from the wheels or bogey, made of more handy lengths, streugthened for lifting, and made mobile, so that vans can be run into freezing chambers on their own small wheels, loaded in the chamber at chamber temperature, riin out on trueks, railed to port, van then lifted and lowered to the ship 's hold, emptied and van returned to trueks and baek to freezing comyanies or railway banks till required again. In the intervals the trueks or bogey wheels would be used for other purposes (The present railway vans are only used113 days in the year). At lijghter ports the van can be lifted into or on lighter (does not require aii insulated lightef), lifted by ship's crane from lighter to ship 's hold emptied and returned to the freezing works. By this means the meat is only handled twice. Onee in chamber and once in ship's holds and is never exposed to general atmosphere. The results of this method are: no damage. no softening of carcases, much less cost, less insurance, saving of time loading ships, thus saving heavy overhead eharges, and chilled beef can be loaded at lighter ports saving the very heavy railage costs aud deterioration. A sample race has been made- and your readers are invited to inspect, and we would be ploased to give any further information they may desire. A matter of such vital importance, not only to our meat, but fruit and other produce should be wcicomed, but I am afraid every iunovation improving old methods is looked askauco at, Allow me to exprcss my thanks to your paper in bringing these matters before the nroducers.— Yours. etc..

Hastings, Jr\ne 25, 1937,