IRHACE 90 PROJECT

An extract from articles in Thermonews magazine, Vol 1 no 2, September 1971

One of the primary aims of the New Zealand Institute of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers is to promote the science and practice of refrigeration and air conditioning, and increase the usefulness and well-being of persons engaged in this important industry.

No doubt these aims were present in the minds of those foundation members who assembled in Wellington on April 13, 1933, and took the initial steps which led to the formation of the New Zealand Society of Refrigeration on June 29 that year.

Our first affiliations with overseas organisations were made in these formative months – with the British Association of Refrigeration, the French Institute of Refrigeration, and the New South Wales and Victorian Institutes of Refrigeration Engineers, both in Australia.

Until the outbreak of war meetings had been held frequently – usually each month – but the pressures of wartime had their effect and meetings were less frequent over that period. It was at the annual meeting on May 2, 1944, that a motion was tabled that the Society change its name to the New Zealand Institute of Refrigeration Inc. The name change became effective on July 16, 1945.

A most respected name in the history of our Institute is that of Mr Joseph Louis Gichard. Mr Gichard became president in June 1945. Mr Gischard worked tirelessly for the betterment of the welfare of refrigeration engineers in New Zealand.

In the 1971 issue an article “Clip-on units protect ship’s Refrigerated produce” shows the first container ship into New Zealand the “Columbus New Zealand”. At Wellington’s new container terminal the revolutionary new cargo liner loaded 100 refrigerated containers each carrying about 18 tons of meat for the North American market.

What has aptly been termed the Containersation Era had arrived.

Primary produce destined for North American ports will be handled by the container ships at the ports of Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin and protection will be afforded by portable refrigeration units of the clip-on type of construction.

Thermonews was the first magazine produced by IRHACE and it was distributed quarterly .

Image 1: Front and back cover “Container Ship On first Visit”

Image 2: Article “Clip-on units protect ship’s Refrigerated produce”