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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4525, 21 September 1875, Page 2

A visit to the Lion Foundry is quite sufficient to convince one of the fact that it plays no unimportant part in the industry of Wellington. Situated in a quiet corner, of modest exterior, and with nothing ornamental about it —if we except the rakish-looking lion on the signboard, who is airily contemplative of the Wellington chimneypots—the iron-foundry gets through more work than might be supposed, and work, too, of a somewhat extensive character. At the present time, a large hauling engine, for Messrs. Fell and Co., of Blenheim, has just been completed, and was shipped yesterday by the Falcon ; the third locomotive for Foxton is now ready for shipment, and will, it is supposed, be conveyed to its destination by the Luna, when she returns to Wellington ; and what is known to the trade as a contractor's locomotive is now being constructed, to the order of Booth and Sons, of the Wairarapa. At the same time a mass of lighter work is being performed. Within the four walls of the building the activity is surprising. Machines of strange shapes are in all directions, innumerable bands, which resemble everlasting cotton reels ten times magnified, twist over and under each other in what would appear to be curious confusion, yet each one is performing a separate duty ; and the dusky workmen, appropriately smutty, flit about and perform extraordinary tricks with red-hot iron and furnaces. It is sincerely to be hoped the time is not far distant when this foundry, and others in New Zealand, such as Fraser and Tinne's, of Auckland, will receive greater encouragement than at present. The locomotive above alluded to is one of three made by contract for the Foxton line, and the firm were enabled to turn them out for £6OO a-piece, because, all of them being of the same model, less labor was attached to their construction than if they had been made singly and to separate order. Such being the case, it is within the bounds of possibility that New Zealand firms may be able to turn out this class of work at a rate as low as that which it now costs the Government in England. The office of Messrs. Izard and Bell was the scene of an extensive gas explosion yesterday morning. At about nine o'clock Mr. Salmon, one of the clerks, went to the strongroom, which used for keeping the books and important documents. IJpon opening the door he noticed that the gas ' had been escaping, but would appear to have considered it of little consequence. Shortly afterwards he returned with a match for the purpose of lighting the gas. Having arrived at the door with the lighted match, a loud explosion took place, and Mr. Salmon was thrown back some feet. It is needlesß to say that he received a severe shock, and his face was burnt, but beyond that he sustained no injury. The effect of the explosion on the room, however, was remarkable. Though Btrongly built of brick, and bound with iron, it was completely shattered, the walls being torn asunder, and the iron bands bent into every conceivable shape. One of the end walls was forced out from the aides to the extent of a foot, and the bricka and movtar were scattered in all directions. But the damage was not confined to the strongroom. A door at the end of the passage, which runs parallel with the room, was split in several places, and the blast travelled through the hall (a considerable distance), to the outer office, and smashed the glass of the outer doors, scattering in its passage a number of hats which rested on the pegs in the hall. As to the cause of the escape it can only be conjectured that the gas must have been turned on accidentally overnight. Although the damage done was considerable, it must be regarded as an exceedingly fortunate circumstance that the consequences were not more serious.

The amateur performance last night in aid of the funds of the Benevolent Society attracted a large and fashionable audience to the Odd Fellows' Hall, every available portion of space being occupied. His Excellency the Governor and suite were present. The professional ladies who assisted the amateurs played their respective parts in a very excellent manner, and if the amateurs themselves were not of the best, their efforts were received with the utmost good humor, and those present obtained ample consolation for any defects by a remembrance of the good and charitable cause they were aiding. The baud of the Choral Society, under the leadership of Mr. Curry, and that of the Artillery Volunteers, played some admirable selections, the hearing of which was not the least satisfactory part of the entertainment.

We have been requested to state that there is no truth in a rumor originating at Taurauga, to the effect that the windows of the huta for the Kati Kati settlers have been broken by the hauhaus, and some of the huts burned down. What glass was broken was done accidentally by children in play.

A number of brown doves have been liberated by the Acclimatisation Society, and some Indian minas have also been liberated. It is hoped that any of these birds may not bo destroyed, as the object of tho society in giving them their liberty would thus be frustrated.

The Queenslander, the weekly issue in connection with the Brisbane Courier, lias been brought out in an altered and enlarged form, and is now in many respects quite up to the standard of the Molbourno and Sydney weekly papers. Our contemporary has had a prosperous career, in the past, and we cordially wish it the same In the future.