[b. jaggaed.

H.—29.

84

135. Is there any system of testing the hold for the temperature in the ships?—No, sir, not except the meat-holds. 136. Mr. Foster] Did you happen to notice in London whether the wool that was on fire was greasy or fellmongered wool?-—No. Unless you know the marks you cannot tell. 137. Did you not see the wool?—No. What I saw actually on fire was in the barge alongside, and I did not go down into the barge. I saw the bales there, and the superintendent getting the hose to play on them. Alfred Luther Beattie sworn and examined. (No. 41.) 138. The Chairman] What is your name? —Alfred Luther Beattie. 139. What are you? —Chief Mechanical Engineer, New Zealand Railways. 140. The Commission were of opinion that they might be able to get some information from the Department as to the treatment of wool while under their control, the method of covering it, and what steps you take to provide tarpaulins, or any other points ?—Well, I think, with regard to the treatment of loads of wool in transit, my colleague, Mr. Buxton, the Chief Traffic Manager, will probably be able to give you more explicit information than 1 can, because it comes under his immediate jurisdiction; but with regard to the provision of suitable tarpaulins for covering loads and wagons, these tarpaulins are made and maintained by the Locomotive Branch—the branch of which 1 have charge —and in order that I might show you that the tarpaulin-stock on the New Zealand Railways is well maintained and well looked after, 1 might quote a few figures which may be of interest to the Royal Commissioners. On the New Zealand Railways at the 31st March this year there were 10,362 tarpaulins in service; on the upkeep of these tarpaulins during the year ending the 31st, March last year, the Department spent £9,433 in repairs, showing, as I submit, that these ten-thousand-odd tarpaulins were very carefully looked after, and were not neglected and allowed to remain in use without reasonable attention. The actual amount spent per tarpaulin in repairs for the year averaged 18s. 2d., which, I submit, would go to show that the sheets were maintained in good order. Of course, it is quite impossible to guard against either accidental or careless tears, and that sort of thing; but I think Mr. Buxton will tell you that when a tarpaulin is not perfect from any damage such as a tear or rent, it is usual for the traffic staff to " double-sheet "—that is, to put an extra sheet over the damaged sheet so that the damaged part is well covered up. So far as my observation goes, and I have had to do with tarpaulins during the whole of the twenty-nine years I have been in the railway service, I can state without hesitation that the condition of tarpaulins generally has been maintained at a very high standard, and that at the present time they were never in better condition, for during the past year the attention we have given to tarpaulins has been greater than ever we have given, and by reason of the increased number, the cost of maintaining them has also increased in proportion. Each tarpaulin averages one trip through the workshop per annum—every tarpaulin is supposed to be seen every year. If its condition is good it is simply passed out again, and if it requires to be redressed or repaired in any part it is then attended to. We have a very good system of regulating the repairs of these sheets and getting them in, and, speaking with a knowledge of the subject, I should say that it is most unlikely that there could be, to any appreciable extent serious damage from unsound tarpaulins. A certain amount of leakage might possibly occur 'in isolated instances naturally inseparable in the case of carrying many thousands of tons, but I think the amount of leakage from defective tarpaulins is an inappreciable quantity. 141 The tarpaulins are apparently waterproof ?—When they are in ordinary normal condition they are absolutely waterproof. They are made of very closely woven canvas, and then they are dressed with three coats, two on one side and one on the other, of a special linseed-oil dressing, after which they are impervious to the passage of water; but, of course, in the process of using and dragging over sharp corners of cases they do get torn and have to be patched, which patch is again dressed with the oil dressing, and it becomes just as waterproof as the original sheet. _ 142 Mr Foster] Have you any system of inspection after a tarpaulin has made a trip? -Tarpaulins are hung up at the various goods-sheds and also in the workshops in a doorway with a bright light on one side and comparatively little light on the other, which enables you to see even a small pin-hole in the sheet on a bright day, and that is the most efficient inspection you can get. If you have a bright light on one side and a dull light on the other, you cannot fail to see any suppoging a tarpaulin is damaged on the trip, is that at once detected on arrival at the end of the trip ?—Yes. . 144 It would not be likely to go out again before being repaired (—No, it should not be allowed to go out. It is sent into the workshops according to instructions, and there faxed up. Tarpaulins are sent daily to the workshops. , 145 Do you at times have claims made upon you by insurance companies for any damage during transit?—That is a matter which I think Mr. Buxton would be better able to speak about— it does not come under my notice at all. There is one thing I might mention that bears on the stibiect to some extent. At Home, in England, in 1876, a case came under my immediate notice of greasy woollen waste taking fire through becoming wet. This particular lot of waste was a good-sized heap, stored on the upper floor of a stone building in a corner of a wooden floor, and it had been in this corner for some considerable time, and had been trampled down into a pressed mass; it was oily through having been used in connection with some weaving process During a heavy storm a trickle of water made its way into the budding and ran down the inside wall and into this woollen waste, getting more particularly underneath it The leakage was not noticed until smoke was seen coming from the heap of waste, and then the floor underneath was seen to be very badly charred, the lower portion of this woollen waste having heated and carbonised. The inquiry made at the time established the fact that this waste had fired from spontaneous combustion, due to the water getting to the oil and oxidizing it. There seemed to be no doubt about it arthe time, and-it came under my particular notice.