A LOOK-IN AT RAY’S.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume III, Issue 510, 16 December 1881, Page 1

A LOOK-IN AT RAY’S.

* The Ray upon whom we looked in was Mr Charles Ray of the Agricut'tural Machine Shop, VVakanui road. We found Mr Ray’s establishment in/, full. swing— as might have been expected with harvest time so near atr hand. Mr Ray occupies a half-acre section, on which is erected a spaciou s workshop—lß x 26—filled with the tools of his craft. The remainder of the ground is covered with implements; Indeed, the large workshop resembles: just at present a reaper and binder hospital, and the numbers of those : useful implements scattered about the = patients taking an airing in the sun. “ A veritable hospital for incurables,” says the visitor at the first glance. Some of the machines indeed are evidently in a queer way, and more than one of them as if their constitutions were altogether ruined. Here, for instance, is a Deering wire-binder which is in truth in a terrible plight. The best thing, as it seems to us, to do : with this dilapidated piece of machinery would be to break it up and get rid of it, and yet Mr Ray assures us thatr the case is by no means a hopeless one ; that with judicious treatment the patient will not only recover, but will " be better than ever. This machine, ; t ; appears, is to be stripped of its chain elevators and be supplied with canvas elevators in their place. When this improvement has been effected, and sundry others that Mr Ray wots of, and it has received a new coat of paint its

companions on the premises won’t know it. “ Now, that is ? pretty bad .' case?” we enquire, pointing to an ancient M'Cormick that has undoubtedly seen better days. “Bless - you,” says Mr Ray with a smile at our innocence, “ we have much worse cases 1 " than that here,” and he leads us to gaze upon an Osborne reaper, a mere wreck of its former self, although the treatment it is undergoing is evidently : benefiting it, and Mr Ray is sanguine if effecting a perfect cure. When the •epairs are completed it will be for all :■, iractical purposes as good as new.indeed, many of the machines which eave this establishment are better than lew, for they are strengthened by the iddition of plates of iron, etc., fitted ly cunning workmen skilled in the abor, and emerge from the workshop' . 'ar better fitted, as a matter of fact, for lard ivork than when they left the iriginal factories. Mr Ray has some right to the title of “ Reaper and . Binder Expert,” for he had five years experience in American workshops lefore he came to New Zealand. Here cnown foundry of Messrs ScdtE Brosl, " if Christchurch, and also by other irst-rate firms, from whom he has rereived the highest credentials as a horoughly skilful and practical engineer. Only a few months ago he started in a very small way of business ndeed; in fact he did all the work limself; now he employs six hands md talks of extending his operations n the new year, when he hopes to berome not merely a repairer of reapers md binders but also a manufacturer of hese implements after an idea of his , : nvn. He says he has never regretted roming to Ashburton, for he finds his lusiness gradually expanding as he jains the confidence of the farmers—lis principal customers. As a proof hat he is gaining that confidence, we nay mention that he has repaired and ient home no less than thirty machines his season alone, while his section is itill covered with implements “ waiting o see the doctor.”