SMITH’S DRAIN TILE WORKS.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1015, 30 March 1883, Page 2

SMITH’S DRAIN TILE WORKS.

Another local industry is rapidly being got into working order. We allude to Mr James Smith’s Drain Tile and Brick Works, situated on the Harbour Reserve, to which we paid a short visit yesterday morning. We found the proprietor busy with the roof of the new kiln, which he is erecting. This kiln is circular, and is known as a “dome,” with adown draught. It may be explained that the fire passes between the permanent walls of the kiln (which by the way- are over three feet thick) and an inner wall, thence up to the dome and down through the centre of the kiln, going out at the floor through a number of brick openings, whence it escapes into the shaft running underneath. In place of building a high “ smoke stack,” a trench has been cut in the side ot the hill, and this will be bricked and will serve as the chimney. On the top of the hill a small stack will be built just to raise the smoke from the ground and prevent it from being blown back into the kiln. Outside the latter will be fitted dampers for regulating the draught, which is expected to be very great. : The diameter of the kiln is 16 feet inside, and the height 10£ feet. It was explained to us that the great advantage would be that no flames would come into contact with the contents of the kiln during the. process of burning, so that there was no possibility of discolouring the better class of goods proposed to be made. Close to the kiln is the shed,; where the pipes, &c., axe made. The building is 60 x 24, and contains the “ mixer,” and also a pipe making machine,, capable of turning out any size, from 3in. to 18in. There are a large number of pipes already made, from the smaller size up to 12in., with the necessary bends and joints, and it is expected to have these in the,kiln, some, time next- week.- , To our unprofessional eye they looked very good,; and Mr Smith assured us that they “ can’t. : be: beaten ;; By way of experiment th ere are also some earthenware jars and a few things of that kind, which will be burned at the same time as the pipes. Of .course everything depends upon the result of that important event, but Mr Smith is sanguine that the quality of his clay is all that : ca,n be desired, and that he will be able to turn out.almost any description of goods in first-class sty-ie. He intends, shortly, to,enlarge the shed,'.and introduce more plant, including an American brickinakiug machine, which ,is said to he. hapablQ of .'.turning.: out from twenty to. twenty-five thousand bricks per dayl We, hope that Mr Smith will realise his anticipations, and that in time his works will develop into one of the important local industries, of the place. Patea.has already attained a celebrity in connection with drain pipe transactions, and bids fair to extend her reputation in “ tiles,” but in a thoroughly useful, and creditable manner.