View report page

Storage of Petroleum.
Petroleum Spirit is defined as Petroleum, which, when
tested in a prescribed manner, gives off an inflammable
vapour at a temperature less than 73 degrees Fahrenheit.
Certain mixtures containing petroleum spirit, e.g.,
cellulose paint, rubber solution, etc., and also carbide of
calcium come within the Petroleum Act.
During the year applications for licences to keep
petroleum spirit and carbide of calcium were received as
follows:—
Petroleum Spirit.
No. of applications for licences 90
No. of applications granted 90
Quantity of petroleum spirit which may be
kept in licensed stores 125,063 gallons
Carbide of Calcium.
No. of applications for licences 3
No. of applications granted 3
Quantity of carbide of calcium which may
be kept in licensed stores 504 pounds
Licence fees paid during 1937 £65.1.3
Nearly all the petroleum spirit is kept in bulk in underground
storage tanks and there are now installed in the
district no less than 176 of these tanks to which are connected
156 petrol supply pumps. Most of the hand-operated
pumps have now been replaced by electrically operated
pumps.
The various licensed premises have been inspected from
time to time, and a number of contraventions of the conditions
attached to the licences have been dealt with.
During the year a communication was received from
the Home Office, directing the attention of the Council to
the fact that certain serious accidents had occurred in connection
with explosions in disused tanks which had previously
been used for the storage of petroleum spirit. The Council
adopted the suggestion that a special condition should be
attached to the licences granted by them, requiring the
79