MESSRS. BARDSLEY AND SON'S SOAP FACTORY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 21 September 1880, Page 2

MESSRS. BARDSLEY AND SON'S SOAP FACTORY.

On Wednesday last- w© had the pleasure of inspecting Messrs. Bardsley and Son's soap factory, which now extends from Great King to Cumberland-street, Dunedin. It may not be generally known that this factory was established over twenty year 3 ago, and that the establishment which made a frail beginning, which yave rise to so many doubt 9 and fears, £vnd whioh reokoned its output by hundredweights, now makes less fuss about the production of tons. Through the industry of the proprietors, and the excellence of their manufactures, their business assumed such large dimensions that it grew beyond the capacity of the old building, and necessitated the erection of an establishment more worthy of a flourishing and lucrative trade. The Messrs. Bardsley have, by some means or other, suoceeded in establishing a name in the neighboring colonies, which is producing considerable business, This firm has entered into its war 1 # in a manner that cannot faj\ Jo promote success. To enable them to compete successfully -with all comers, they have invented labor-saving machinery, which, although simple in design, nevertheless is eminently adapted for- the purposes for which H u§ed-. Twenty tons per week of yellow soaps are now sent forth from this factory. withstanding that laborsaving machinery haa been brought to bear., this means the employment of a l<vv«e nember of hands, besides a large amount of material obtained locally, such as coal and fat. But the Messrs. Bards-, ley have gone beyond the pale of place. They make some of tfoe most' presentable and delightfully aromatic fancy soaps we h?,vo ever seen. They certainly appear to be preferable to the imparted article, which is too frequently S( made for export." We'were surprised when there were placed before us a varied assortment of mottled, honey, almond, brown "Windsor, glycerine, and other soaps, because we somehow fancied that no soap manufacturer in this Colony i\a,d as «yefc advanced so far aa tQ a,ble to make them. We haye much pleasure in bearing testimony- ta what we saw at sh§. Bardsleyfactory, and tp, their enterprise. Their business [is one of a number of local industries that muat spring'up in this Colony before ! we shall be able to absorb those of our population unfit for agricultural or other laborious pursuits. There is just one matter to which we must- refer before closing this notice. There are some | materials used in the businosm of the Messrs. Bardsley, suqh as, "rosin," that must be Qn, some of these articles the import duty amounts to as much as 1Q per. cent. Surely the enemies pf protection are just as bitterly opposed to this handicap oq free trade, s.o. stifling to an industry. If they are uot prepared to protect thiey should at lpast'nofc handicap.