DWINDLING INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 100, 22 January 1935, Page 3

DWINDLING INDUSTRY

Candle-making Factory in Petone The staff of one factory in Petone has no praise for the genius of Faraday, for he it was who helped to steal from them a flourishing industry. Now it is dwindling, for candles cannot compete with electric light. It is surprising, however, to learn that in this factory alone 15,000 candles a day are manufactured in a busy period. But that is considered a slump by those in the trade, as a few years ago many thousands more were needed. Indeed, it was not until 1925 that things got really bad. Interesting information is to be gained from the man in this factory, who has been making candles for 25 years. For instance, many cling to the belief that the article he makes is poisonous. It is not, and he will say one can eat candles all day and reel no effects at all. Of course, he will not advise people to do that; there are more palatable diets. From a casual study there does not appear to be a great art in candlemaking. Paraffin wax and stirine are the ingredients used. This is heated up to between 200 and 212 degrees Fahrenheit in wooden vats, which in this factory hold 5001 b. each. It takes about 20 minutes for the steam-heating apparatus to get the mixture to the required temperature. The heat is then turned off and the mixture stands until the moisture and foreign matter sink to the bottom. This is called the clearing process. While the contents of the vats are still hot (they must never get below 20 degrees) they are poured into moulds, and after a few turns of a handle the candle, complete with wick, appears. The process sounds simple, but anyone who decides to manufacture his own supplies should make sure he has an ample amount of water. Four thousand gallons an hour are needed for cooling purposes. There is no objectionable smell in candle-making, and the only smell there might be is when the stirine, a nonvolatile oil, is being taken from the tallow’. How to test the quality of the candle was easily explained. The good one would melt at about 127 degrees, while the inferior article would turn to liquid in the weather Wellington is now experiencing. Therefore the eheap variety of candle was equal to the best for the purposes of a polar explorer. On the other hand, because of the Intense heat, only the extra special candle was suitable for the gold mines, where large quantities are still used. The candle-maker is proud of one machine in his factory which will turn out 518 candles a time. The others manage 200,144 and 96. There are still people, he says, who will never do without candles. They are those who read in bed and believe the electric light is not good for the eyes. In fashionable Australian hotels, he added, candles are provided in every room for this purpose.