LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 7, Issue 378, 29 July 1884, Page 5

LOCAL INDUSTRIES.

MR GARDINER'S IMPLEMENT FACTORY, MATAUHA. The visitor to Mataura, still fondly called " The Bridge " by those who have recollection of the good old coaching days, will not fail, as he crosses the bridge from the rail-.-, way station, to observe a somewhat largest brick establishment directly opposite Yit&% eastern end, and he will hear proceediiig.l' from it, should his visit be during working hours, the sounds which usually emanate from an iron works. . Let him enter, and he will in all probability find the busy proprietor working awny like a *' trnjan." Looking round, the visitor wiil take in a scene i of. apparent disorder — plough and other im- [ plemcuts of agriculture in all stage? of ' development, and dusky figures fiittring to and fro like the cyclops in their fabled forge. But when he has a little recovered from the effect of ihe din, he will see that a perfect .. , system underlies all this apparent disorder.' ' Every man is doing his allotted work, and,.'' with the assistance of the machinery 1 around is playing his part in evolving order out of : chaos. Up till about three years ago MiGardiner's business was carried on in the un* pretending wooden structure which had served since he started business in Mataura some fifteen years ago, but the pressure of increased business rendered the present building a sheer necessity. It is gratifying to see i hat even yet the shop is inconveniently crowded. This is of course is partly due ; to the fact that the present is the busiest I st-ason of tlie year for makersof implements, I especially ploughs ; but there is reason to believe that under even ordinary circumstances |nn enlargement is desirable. On our visit, ■ Mr Gardiner was so very busy that it was some time before he could spare the time, to I'• show ns round," and even tbat time had to be abstracted from the dinner : hour. We then found that the motive power was obtained from a six horae power steam engine. This gave motion 'to a tilt hammer, a .« ere wing machine, two boring machine-*, a turning lathe, furnished a blast for three fire:-*, aud last, but -ot least worked the steam hammer. The tilt hammer is simply a sledge hammer worked by steam. It is here chie-iy u--ed for doing the heavier part of shaping the ploughshares. These Bhares are at present imported in bundles, : .'* and are something the shape of fins. Ihe use ' i of the screwing and boring machines -requires no explanation, nor does that of the .*. lathe, so that \vi may pa?s on to the steam >. hammer. Of all the modern triumphs of mechanical art the steam hammer. , ranks, among the highest; Capable at once- -of cracking a nut or crushing an unwieldy lump of metal it has been found of immense service iv the iron trade, which has thereby benefited by the invention of Nasmyth. That in use at Matanra bears the name of Rigby and is of the size known in the trade as four-and-a-half hundredweight ; that is, Ihe piston or hammer weighs that much. The whole affair, namely the cylinder n which the hammer works and the support! which are all in one casting, weighs four> and a half tons. We saw it in operation. .. - A large piece of iron was taken from tne ' J glowing fire and placed upon the anvil. A " piece was first cut off with as much apparoht ' ease as a housewife would cut a bar of soap. ; The piece cut off was again subjected to the"'" "- force of the hammer and. was^ quickly fashioned into the first stage of _t -head or sheath. Work .of. this kind can be manipulated by hand, but where heavier masses have to be dealt with a travelling apparatus overhead fitted with blocks and tackle is used to swing them. Another machine of a humble but'^ useful character was also shown us. It is fe called an " Oliver " machine. It is simply ■&s* sledge hammer agitated by . a treddle. The iron to be worked is placed in a " set " and ! a few blows reduces it to the desired shape. Harrow teeth for instance, of uniform size, - can be turned out with a few blows. Larger work is put under the steam!'"* hammer, and we were shown an axle*'*thati7 had been forged at one heat and was quite r ' ready for use, thus doing away, with the '• - ■ previously existing necessity for the slow process of turning in the lathe. . . .-, Mr Gardner's speciality is double furrow* ploughs, and he has been lucky in having his -.* skill recognised. He took first prize at Gore;" - at the last show and after that at Invercargill, in the first instance beating Reid and Gray and in the second Booth and MacDonald. The ploughs are sold at prices ranging from Lls to LlB 10s according to make and terms. They are purely of local make. The castings necessary are done in Invercargill at present, but Mr Gardner hopes to be able to do this also shortly at Mataura. It will thus be seen that the "f industry is one which is entitled to the appellation " local." It should, therefore, claim the support of local people who desire to see these industries nurtured in our midst. As was well said by a candidate recently, the best protection is in the fullest possible use of everything that can be made here.