MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS VISIT WANGANUI.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1192, 6 January 1914, Page 2

MAYOR AND COUNCILLORS VISIT WANGANUI.

TO INSPECT SPIRAE PIPE WORKS. At a recent meeting of the Borough Council when Mr Suggate’s report and estimate in connection with the proposed water and drainage scheme from non was being discussed, the question arose as to which class of pipes, spiral or cast iron, would be the best for the purpose of mains. The larger sizes of spiral pipes are much cheaper than cast iron, but the question of the life of the pipes also had to be considered. The manufacturers of the spiral pipes contended that these pipes would and had stood the test of time and this statement was endorsed by promiuent engineers. In order to give the Mayor and Councillors an opportunity of inspecting the spiral pipe works and seeing the process of manufacture for themselves, the Managing Director of the Spiral Pipe Co. Etd., Mr A. Hatrick, extended an invitation to them to visit Wanganui for this purpose and yesterday our City Fathers availed themselves of the invitation. Three motor cars were sent down from Wanganui early in the morniug to convey the visitors to the works. The Mayor aod all the Couucillors with the exception of Crs. Speirs and Whibley, who are out of the district, aud Cr Read who met the party in Wanganui, made the trip. A start was made at 8.30 o’clock and after a very pleasant journey of two hours Wanganui was reached. Here the party was met by Messrs A. Hatrick (Commercial and Managing Director) and A. G. Bignall (Director and Works Supervisor) and were conducted to the works where two hours of educational value were spent examining the whole pro-, cess of manufacture. The pipes are made from sheet steel, of a width of about a foot, which is received at the works in rolls, the different lengths being welded together by the oxy-acetylene process. The steel is fed Into a machine where it is formed into the spiral pipe, and rivetted at each joint. At the required length the pipe is cut off by machinery. The whole work, with the exception of placing in position of the rivets, is done by the machine, only one man to each machine being, required. The machines can be so adjusted as to make pipes of any size. After leaving the machine, the pipes are tested under a pressure of water of about three hundred pounds to the square inch. One of the pipes manufactured while the Foxtou visitors were present was subjected to a pressure of seven hundred and eighty pounds to the square inch, and at this enormous pressure showed the very slightest leak only. After the testing process, the pipes are rolled iu hessian and then placed in a specially constructed bath, containing a special kind of boiling asphalt, by which process a coating is given both inside aud out. After being taken out of the bath, the pipes are coated with fine sand, and are then ready for use.

The visitors were entertained at lunch at Foster’s Hotel, and afterwards, at the invitation of Me Bignell, a member ol the Wanganui Harbour Board, were motored to Castlecliff and shown the harbour works undertaken by the Board. They were also shown over the Wanganui Meat Freezing Company’s works, where a very interesting time was spent, and were then motored up Durie Hill, from which a splendid view of the town is obtained. Prior to leaving for home, refreshments were partaken of, and the Mayor thanked Mr Bignell for the trouble he had taken in order to make their visit such an enjoyable one. Mr Bignell, in acknowledging the vote of thanks, said the primary object of the visit was to afford the visitors an opportunity of viewing the process of manufacture of spiral pipes, and to prove that all that bad been claimed as to the merits of the pipes was quite justified. He was also very pleased to have been afforded an opportunity of showing the visitors over the town, of which they were naturally very proud, and his only regret was that their visit was so short. The party arrived home at about 7.30 o’clock.