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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 62

Stowing the Fruit

Stowing the Fruit.

The stevedore whom I inspected stowing the fruit on the "Tainui" used his best endeavours to make the chambers hold as many cases as possible. He had some difficulty, owing to several-sized cases being shipped, but he succeeded in packing the chamber full to the roof. This proved a great mistake, as the engineer found he was unable to get the temperature down to the desired point, 40° Fahr.—this in consequence of no space being left for the air to circulate above the stack of fruit. During the trip from Auckland to Wellington one chamber was got down to 50° Fahr.; but the other could not be reduced below 63° Fahr.

Fortunately the vessel did not proceed on her voyage direct after taking in the fruit, so, on reaching Wellington the chambers were opened, and the stack of fruit taken down, and re-stowed in a way to leave some space at the top.

It is evident that a space must be left between the top of the stack of fruit and the roof of the chamber—say, 4in. to 6in.—for the free circulation of the cold air.

Captain Babot, Marine Superintendent of the Shaw-Savill Company, has had so much trouble with this shipment that he will take page 8 care in future that the chambers are not stowed too full. The s.s. "Kaikoura," now loading at Auckland, has not hitherto carried fruit. I have advised the chief engineer, chief officer, and the marine superintendent of the New Zealand Shipping Company on the stowing of the fruit, so that difficulty will not occur in that vessel. They also, to some extent, insulated the cold-air trunks before leaving Wellington by sheathing them with thick felt and fixing battens on the outside.