AMERICAN v NEW ZEALAND TIMBER.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2029, 25 August 1880, Page 4

AMERICAN v NEW ZEALAND TIMBER.

The following letter appears in this mornings issue of tha " Press : TO THB EDITOB 0» THK PBESB. Sib, —In regard to the relative merits of New Zealand woods as compared with American hickory for wheel timber, there has been wo much discussion of late in the local papers that I have refrained from rushing into print until now. Therefore, Bir, I trust you will giro me space ia your valuable journal for my side of the story to be heard. My exporiecce in the use of woods for carriage building purposes extends back to the year 1847, and as the spoke lathe (a most valuable piece of wood machinery) was not in use at that period, I had to split out of the log and work into shape every spoke that I wed. Consequently by so doing it gave me a better idea of the quality of timber than a person would be likely to get at this go-ahead period, when most of the wheel material is worked out by machinery. I have been in business twenty-six years, and during this time nearly every piece of wheel material has been picked out and handled by me before the men were allowed to use it. Wheels being the most essential part of a carriage are what I pay most attention to. and have nothing but the very best of material put into them. And now, sir, I venture to ask you, and the publio, if my long and varied -experience does not entitle me to be heard as an expert in regard to the various woods suitable for carriage building and I now purpose, with your kind permission, to try and demonstrate to the public why hickjry is the most suitable wood for wheel timber in the construction of light carriages. In the first place I mention its great strength, tenacity of fibre, and lightness of the wood, compared to any other woods brought forward for the same purpose. Hickory has been msed in the United States for wheel material the last thirty-two years. Previous to this time oak had been used altogether for wheel purposes, but manufacturers found by adopting the hiokory that a far lighter wheel would stand the pressure of the tire without bending the spokes. ' They were therefore enabled to make much lighter carriages to take the plaoe of more cumbersome ones by using hiokory. Other countries saw the advantage, and also adopted hickory, and for the last twenty-five years it has bean used all over the world and given I every satisfaction. No one has ever attempted to bring forward any wood to surpass or even equal hiokory, until Mr Moor comes forward with his kowhai and manuka, which he says are superior. I really cannot understand how Mr Moor got his information, as he has had bo experience in working woods, Mr Moor being merely a coach painter. Mr Jenkins and the remainder of the saw mill proprietors and timber merohantß that have taken part in this wood question, I will leave the publio to judge what they can possibly know about wheels, or what is suitable for wheel timber. In regard to Mr Wagstaff 's letter, his experiments with manuka, &c, I think that must have been the first he had to do with wheel building, or he would not have had the timber sawn into wheel spokes, as in any country where carriage building is carried on it would have condemned his wheels at once, by using sawn timber for spokes. As far as my search for manuka is concerned, as Mr Wagstaff remarks, it has not been very extensive, I merely spoke of what I had seen in tho Wairau and places in Otago. I was extremely gratified to see by the " Lyttelton Times," of August 23rd, that Mr Moor intended to back his opinion, as regards the New Zealand woods, by using the same in the construction of his carriages, after neglecting to use them for so many years, and being convinced at the same time that the wood was superior to hickory. I also perceive that Mr Moor is about to commence to build a tram car, and in the specifications it distinctly specifies that be shall use various woods, such as hickory, oak, ash, and white wood, all being American woods. I am sorry to see Mr Moor, with his experience of New Zealand woods, asserting their superiority over that of any other. Cannot he convince the Tramway Board of directors of the fact, and save the importation of foreign woods, when, as he says, suitable woods grow in abundance here, and are neglected. After all this I am at a loss to -understand how Mr Robert Allan, the president of the Industrial Association, could give the decision that the weight of evidence was •gainst me re hiokory, at a discussion in committee held on the night of August sth. In an article headed "New Zaaland v American Woods," that appeared in the PBKBS of August 23rd, the writer has made several mistakes, which I would now like to correct. In the first place as to the hickory I bad on view nt my factory, the tilbury that these spokes were token from was not of my manufacture. It was built in Boston, U.S.A., brought over from Melbourne here by Mr Oakes, solicitor, and afterwards ow=ed by the late Wm Bowler, Esq. This tilbury was well tried, for one day in going over the Port hills the horse shied, and the vehicle was tipped over from one zizzag into another. The shafts were broken, and body injured in several places, and it was brought to my factory for repairs. This happened seventeen years ago. The wheels were not injured at that time, and have been in constant use ever since until about three weeks ago, when Mr Oorruthers, the present owner of the vehicle, had an accident with one of the wheels, when I took the old ones off, and replaced them with new, and the trap is now in good running order. The spokes that I have on view were taken out of the old broken wheel, and are as sound as tho day they were put in, which must have been some twenty years ago. I had one of these hiokory spokes broken in a vice, instead of the shaft referred to in this article. The shaft was out of Mr 11. P. Lance's buggy, broken by an accident. I have had thirty-three years' experience in carriage building, instead of twenty-three, as wportod, and what I did say was this—that if

manuka was proved to be as good timber for wheel building as hickory the weight would be against it. I did not admit it was as good, and this portion of the article has been miV understood by the writer. Now, Mr Editor. although being an American, I have adopted this country for my home since 1862, and it" 1 had any prejudices they would bo in favor c r my adopted home, which I expect will bo now for the remainder of my life, as well es the lives of my children. As far as the New Zauland woods are concerned, I should only he too happy to use those that I thought might be suitable for any of my requirements, aoc do at the present time use a great deal ct kauri for the straight panels and flooring fur my carriages, and consider it better for these purposes than any imported woods, as tl.e resinous nature of the wood is the means oi its standing longer for the above-mentioned uses without decaying. Yours, &o.> A. Or. HowiiAND.