NEW ZEALAND v. AMERICAN WOODS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2027, 23 August 1880, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND v. AMERICAN WOODS.

It will bo recollected there was considerable argument some little time ago at the meeting of the Industrial Association as to the relative merits of hickory and kowhai, for the pur poses of carriage building. The discussion, which was begun as to the kowhai, drifted into one on the merits of manuka, respecting which Mr Wagataff has written one or two letters. Mr Howland, who has brought before the Royal Commission the desirableness of planting the railway reserves with hickory, has now on view at his carriage factory some portions of a tilbury built by him seventeen years ago. These comprise a shaft and one of the spokes'of the wheels. These are of hickory, and Mr Howland has had the shaft broken in a vice. Though so long a time has elapsed since the building of the trap, and it has been in constant work over since, the wood is perfectly sound, and the fibres resemble a bass broom, showing what amount of tenacity this description of timber possesses. Mr Howland, who has had twenty-three years’ experience in carriage building, whilst admitting the good qualities of the manuka, contends that were it used, owing to its lacking the lightness of hickory, the weight of carriages would be very greatly increased.