LOCAL INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4532, 29 September 1875, Page 2

LOCAL INDUSTRY.

CUTLER ANT) MOORE'S MUSICAL INSTRUMENT FACTORY. Messrs. Cutler and Moore, Ghuznee-street, are laying the foundations of an enterprise likely to be of no small importance in the colony, and are doing this in a proper and self-reliant manner, not looking to Government for direct or indirect help. Mr. Cutler, a pianoforte and harmonium maker of large skill and experience in the home country, where he has been foreman at some of the best-known and most favorably-reputed establishments, came out here some twelve months ago, with the intention of settling down, and making a property in land for himself and children. At the time he was perfectly prepared to turn his hand to bush carpentering, and the numerous classes of work which a settler should be always prepared to execute for himself. But on arrival he found that there was a competence to be earned at once, .and perhaps a fortune in the future, for him at his old trade. He saw what has been often noticed in the colonies, a wide-spread musical taste, which , made a piano or a harmonium almost a necessity in a tolerably well-to-do household. He was able to find immediate employment in repairing these instruments, which are so numerous in the community.

But he-did not stop here. He saw with , some surprise that an instrument for which in the old country a payment of £3O, extending over three years, would be thought most profitable, was easily to be disposed of here for £SO or £6O. The instrument so disposed of too, was, in most cases, made without any regard to the climatic peculiarities under which it would be used in the colony. There was also the evident fact that for all the purposes of manufacture New Zealand wood presented a most admirable material, in fact, that practically speaking the real raw material for pianos and harmoniums could be obtained of » clasTin this colony. It must be remembered that the great London piano “ ake i? h 1^ Sher of y the some snecialitv Under these circumstances then, perfectly plain that a New Zealand manufacturer could import hxs own small work and start upon it at an almost similar outlay to the London maker, whilst for all odiei and further purposes he would be placed at an immense advantage. Having most of his tools with him. Mr. Cutler did not hesitate, and the results of his enterprise may now be seen in some beautiful organ-harmoniums which he has just completed. In these instruments, which are of a very pretty external appearance, the cases are made of well-chosen md seasoned and highly polished nmu, and other New Zealand timbers, whilst the pipes and much of the interior woodwork is of the best kauri pine—a wood than which Mr, Cutler declares he has never found a more suitable for his purpose. The organharmonium is a large and handsome instrument, and is turned out complete for £SO. Its tone is very superior, and it is suitable for a drawing-room, but would be found even more serviceable in the smaller places of religious worship which happily are scattered plentifully over the land, and in which an organ would be beyond the resources of the congregation. These instruments have one set of vibrators of 16ft. tone, and one of Bft. tone, one set of organ pipes of Bft. tone, and one of ift tone, making tbe compass of the instrument, when tbe stops are open, 7 octaves. The stops are sourdine, bourdon, cpr anglais, bassoon, forte, expression, principal, voix celeste, first and seepnd flute, clanonette and tremolo. Two of these are pure organ stops, and the pipes, as previously intimated, are made of New Zealand woodland are of excellent tone; The instrument is also fitted with a 'graduating knee-swell, so as to play from the softest piano to almost an organ swell,'this and the pipes being quite a new adaptation. Mr. Cutler does not intend to stop at the manufacture of such instruments as have been described. It is in the manufacture of pianos that really the largest opening for industry seems to be afforded. Mr. Cutler has now nominated as immigrants skilled workmen from Collards’ and other leading factories, has forwarded orders for material, and has arranged for a supply of properly seaBoned colonial timber. Strange to say, it was in this latter respect that he found his greatest difficulty. He could get plenty of timber, but owin'* to the cut-and-not-come-agam style of the colonial timber trade, the greater part of it would have been quite useless to him. Timber for piano and harmonium making requires to be felled with the greatest care at one season of the year, and to be carefully seasoned afterwards. Fortunately, Mr. Chew, of Wellington, was able to make arrangements for supplying Mr. Cutler with the proper material, and in a very short time we may expect to see Wellin°ton-made pianos turned out. These should command a ready sale, as in the first place they will be put together with special reference to our climate, and in the next place they will be infinitely cheaper than the imported article. To illustrate this it may be said that Mr. Cutler expects to turn out for £3O. a piano suitable in every respect to that required by purchasers here, and equal to an imported article which would cost £6O. This he should be easily able to do, since it must be remembered that an excellent instrument, for which colonists have to pay £6O, can be bought at Home for from £25 to £3O. Mr. Cutler, too, will dispose of his pianos on the system of payments extending over a period, which is largely the..practice.,.in,. England, and to a smaller degree here. It is unnecessary to say that everyone will wish Messrs. Cutler and Moore success in their enterprise, which has all the merit, as may be found by a, visit to their workshop, of being unpretentious and self-reliant.