A GREAT INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2186, 26 June 1914, Page 11

A GREAT INDUSTRY

Mr. Ed: Bull, manager'of tho Now Zealand 'Candle C 0. , ;. of Kaiwarra; ,tlio b.ussyiesifft'hich'lias over'by Messrs. Lever Bros., returned from a visit to Sydney on Wednesday, ;whero' he has' been in .consultation with the heads of tho Australian branch of tho big firm. '■* ■ •

' Mr. Bull states that he was astonished at tho size'of the. firm's works, which were situated at Bald Rock, Balmain. The buildings cover several acres of ground, and woro of a character beyond his anticipations. Electricity is used extensively throughout tho works, and wherever possiblo the "vork is done automatically.' Tho''buildings' and machinery represent about £330,000 in capital. The firm has its own lino of steamers running to the Islands (where it has its owjf coconut plantations)) and these regularly bring down large shipments of copra. The copra is manufactured into coconut oil and oilcake, and a proportion of the' oil is used in the manufacture of special soaps. Some,idea of tho extent of tho works can be gathered from tho fact that the weekly capacity amounts to a million and a half coconuts, whilst tho' yearly capacity would absorb the crop from over'23',ooo acres of trees. ; There are mountains of copra always ready for treatment,, and tho oil storago capacity amounts; to about 713,000 gallons. Nearly 500 people aro omplbycd at tho works. ■' ' ' .'.

. 'The information supplied by Mr. Bull is of interest, as the' firm of Lever Bros, havo already called for tenders for thole'reetion of Jarge works'at Petone. The New Zealand Caudle Co.'s works will run on as at present/for a time, but will afterwards bo absorbed by tho works, at I'etone.