WILSON’S TANNERY, WOOLSTON.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 614, 7 June 1876, Page 2

WILSON’S TANNERY, WOOLSTON.

At Woolston, situate upon the banks of the river Heathcote, at a distance of four miles from the City of Christchurch, is placed Mr Thomas Wilson’s tannery and wool scouring works ; and being in receipt of an invitation to inspect the premises and the processes employed in the manufacture of leather and the scouring of wool, I, one day last week, presented myself at the works. Mr Wilson being there, he courteously conducted me through the departments in connection therewith.

There are thirty-two pita, one water, two bating, two lime, twenty-three handlers, and four spendler's. These pits are filled and emptied by the means of a small verticle high-pressure engine of about five-horse power, constructed by Mr John Anderson. The engine is not only used for the above purposes, but is always available for steaming bark and refuse from the tannery. The bark used in the process of tanning is that of the wattle and the Oxford birch.

The capacity of the works is to be able to turn out about forty hides weekly, exclusive of calves and sheep skins.

For this quantity of hides the plant is very compact, as, including engine shed, the beam shed, and the large shed for salting hides, and the thirty-two pits, the area of land covered does not exceed a square of one hundred feet.

Within fifty yards from the pits is the currying shop. In the drying shed I saw the h arness leather and the calves skins, kangaroo skins from South Australia, saddle seat leather, and bag leather, kip leather for shooting boots, &c, &c ; in another shed were parcels of black harness, brown harness, and belting leathers, besides basils and goat skins, some of the latter being of great size, there were also a large quantity of sole leather. It is not for me to express an opinion upon the durability of the leather produced at the tannery, let me therefore say that I am quite convinced that the medals which Mr Wilson has received from the various exhibitions are but slight recognitions for the perfection to which he has brought the process of tanning in this colony. It will be as well to mention that he has silver medals from all the local exhibitions, the prize medal at the interprovincial exhibition, and has the honourable certificate awarded him at the Vienna Exhibition, and not only these testimonials, but perhaps what is of more value as stamping bis goods as of a very high class, the New Zealand Commissioners for the Philadelphia exhibition have purchased samples of his manufacture to represent the province in America. Whilst I am on the subject of leather, I should like to call the particular attention of squatters, farmers, and butchers to the great loss which they all sustain through the improper branding and the careless way in which the skins are removed from the carcases of the animals. Were more care taken in the removal of the skins, there is no question but that the leather turned out at this tannery could readily compete with the imported a.tide, but whilst the skins are cut and slashed about this cannot so readily be done, as it is quite evident that the

. • ■ ■ «T-------expense is equally great to the manufactirrer •whether the hide is sound or defective. There should, I think, be some guarantee from the auctioneers or their employers that the hides are sound or not, as I am under the impression that assorted skins would realise greater prices than when they have to be purchased haphazard. The woolscouring works comprise a large stove for drying the wool, woolscouring shed with a floating stage on the river, capable of working up to 2000 skins a week. There were over 300 bales of wool sent from the works last season for the firm, and a larger quantity was scoured on outside account; whilst this season it is anticipated that the business in this department will be quite two-fold. The woolscouring works were established in 1863 and the Tannery in 1869. I can only remark, in conclusion, that I am under the impression works such as those conducted by Mr Thomas Wilson, and producing of so high a class, will be the means of rendering Canterbury capable at no very distant period of taking the first place in the colony. It is to persevering enterprise like this to which every country of prominence in the commercial world owes its eminence, and I hope to see many more manufactories for different objects ranged along the banks of the Heathcote. After partaking of Mr Wilson’s hospitality, I took my leave.— Correspondent of the Licensed Victuallers' Gazette.