Heavy duty film transport cannister: Defence Public Relations

Heavy duty folded and pressed steel hexagonal container designed to safely transport films. The container is hinged in the centre and is provided with both a heavy duty rod steel hinge on one side and a separate steel latch on the other, both with rivetted support plates. There is a steel rod carrying handle with a rivetted support plate on the top of the cannister. Each side incorporates pressed reinforcements; the base of upper half is further reinforced on the outside with an enclosed and folded steel rod. The base is additionally reinforced with two flat steel pressings running across the cannister. The makers name is impressed on one side of the upper half.

Inside the cannister is provided with a cardboard lining with rubber supports for holding the film spools in place - there are two side by side at the top and four placed in groups of two along the circumference. These are designed to accomdate two 367mm (approximately 14 inches) diameter film spools - which are also made by Maspro.

All joints are rivetted.

The steel latch incorporates two pressed domes either side of the latch for protection. The latch itself is a complicated design - see the accompanying photos for clarification.

The outside of the cannister is covered with air and rail freight and at least two different eras of DPR stickers, all of them addressed to DPR at Russell Offices, Canberra (see images for details). There is a circular DPR subject sticker which identifies the two reels inside as 'SEA POWER / SPOOLS 1 & 2 OF 2 / 35MM EASTMAN COLOUR/ (sound) OPTICAL'. There is a sticker on the lid which states; 'HMAS CERBERUS / 16MM INSTRUCTIONAL FILMS / RUSH TO: Director of Public Relations / (Navy) / Russell Offices / Canberra 2600 / ACT / FROM HMAS Cerberus / Westernport 3920 / VIC'

This film transport canister was made by Sydney-based Maspro Industries for the general film industry. The canister's heavy-duty design, dating from the mid 1960s, was created to protect the enclosed films from damage and heavy handling. This canister was chosen by Defence Public Relations Headquarters (based at Russell Offices at Campbell in Canberra) to transport its range of training and instructional films to and from various Defence bases. The interior is padded with rubber and cardboard to further protect the films - the two reels fit snugly inside without any lateral or horizontal movement.