LOCAL INDUSTRIES.-ROPEMAKING.

Auckland Star, Issue 536, 28 September 1871, Page 2

LOCAL INDUSTRIES.-ROPE-MAKING.

Those vrho have not visited the extensive rope factory, on the Ponsonby Eoad, have but a faint idea either of the extent of the operations carried on in this city, in the conversion of tho fibre of the New Zealand flax into rope, the beauty and finish of the manufactured muterial, or the completeness and delicacy of the machinery requisite in turning out firstclass samples, such as are issued from the works of Mr. Lloyd. On paying a visit to the works yesterday, wo were completely astounded at their magnitude, having hitherto been under the impression that the whole of the rope turned out in this province was made by hand, or, nt best, with the assistance of very primitive appliances in the shape of maohinery. To our surprise, we found tire buzz and whirr of many exquisitely-con-trived appliances, almost equal to that in a lurge engineering establishment or cotton mill; and many cunningly-devised engines wore in full work, under iho control of skilled hands. The first thing which came under observation was a huge, ungainly looking construction in the middle of tha floor, and into its hopper was being thrown immense flakes of lh« roughly-prepared material, as issued from the mills in the country. Here it went through some process in the interior of the affair, and streamed out in long straight bunds, ready for taking to a number of hackling machines attended to by boys, and having formidable looking rows of teeth on endless bands, which combed out the material, cleared away all remaining impurities, and discharged the prepared fibre smooch and regular as a jet of water, into receptacles. Thence it was taken and spun into yarns, which being reeled upon cylinders, were drawn by the irresistiible force of some 30 horse power steam engine, which drivos all the machinery, through gauges condensing, smoothing, and reducing them into proper size for the different calibres of rope. After this, the prepared yarns were spun in strand by another ingenious machine, and then conducted to the completing apparatus, which twisted them into rope of most exquisite finish. Here we saw the commencement of a whole line placed upon a revolviug winding cylinder ; and when we came back, after half an hour's visit to other parts of tkis elaborate factory, we found that a mile's length had been completed and was in process of being disengaged and removed to another room of the building, whore we saw tho coil packed up and completed in a manner -which would do credit to any iiuropean workshop. From the rear of the main building there extends a Ion" ropewalk, properly so called, of 300 yards in length, where ropes of a thicker kind are manufactured, and in which other intricate machines, which we dare not attempt to describe, act their part, apparently automatically, and without human agency. The whole place is arranged in a manner which does the utmost credit, to the projector, und those who, under his surveillance, set up the intricato machinery; and we left, convinced that a visit to the establishment wou;d be both delightful and instructive to all, and pleased to find a thriving and busy place like it in our midst. A little energy of a similar kind bestowed on other manufactures would, doubtless, meet its own reward, and go far to remove the stigma of sleepiness and want of energy -whioh has, we fear, too justly been cast upon us. We may hereafter return to the subject of suoh possible manufactures.

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