Local lndustries

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 30, 28 October 1893, Page 6

Local lndustries

■ A BIG CONCERN

The Southland Farmers’ Implement and Engineering Co.’s Works. Our old friend, Mr Peter Dalrymple, has always been insistent upon one point the benefits that would accrue to the town and district from the establishment of local industries. These, he has said in effect, would afford employment to our young people, attract population, provide an army of consumers for the products of our farmers, and generally give an impetus to business in this part of the world. The views held on this subject by the patriarch of Appleby were recalled to our mind the other afternoon while having a look over the works of the Southland Farmers’ Implement and Engineering Company in Dee street north. Although counting barely a year of existence, the company is now carrying on a very extensive and rapidly increasing business. It had its nucleus in Messrs Walter Guthrie and Company’s (Limited), Esk street foundry, and the works of an energetic young Southlander, Mr James Macalister, who now occupies the position of manager, with another thoroughly practical man, Mr A. Storrie, as foreman, both of whom are wellknown to the farming community throughout the district. Ample accommodation has been made, both as regards requisite space and machinery, to enable the company to undertake a wide range of work and to meet the requirements of their clients —the works are, indeed exceedingly well equipped, and in this respect, as well as in the quality of the work turned out, will hold their own with those in larger centres. Even in this early stage of their career they afford employment to a large number of people, and are the means of putting a considerable amount of money into local circulation. The yearly pay-sheet for wages tots up to a good figure, to which has to be added the cost of implements formerly imported, but now made locally. When the company started they came into possession of the old tramway stables in Dee street, and, using these as a starting point, grafted on numerous extensions, until now the ground from Dee to Leven street — less the space reserved in front for a show yard —is occupied by a series of commodious buildings in brick, iron, and wood, admirably adapted for iron-works designed for operations on an extended scale. They are well lighted throughout, being provided with a series of roof-lights. For night-work, of which there has been a good deal of late to enable orders to be overtaken, gas is used, but it is probable that it will ere long give place to its rival, electricity. About one hundred employes are at present engaged in the works, including a number of sturdy young Vulcans who have been born and bred in the district, and who, on the occasion of our visit, were as busy as bees. Parenthetically, it may be remarked that school children would find here a capital object lesson in technical education. An hour or two spent in going through the workshops under competent guidance would do more to impress on the youthful mind the different processes in wood and iron-work, and to inspire an interest in the subject, than any number of lectures.

Having 1 indicated in general terms the extent of the company’s works, a brief summary of the results of a run through the various departments will he of interest. The buildings now in use cover nearly an acre, and when the need arises there is ample room for expansion southward; where the company own several freehold sections, and judging from present indications they will soon have to be utilised. The company, who, by the way, are agents for the well-known Walter A. Wood reaper and binder and Fowler’s

traction engines—they introduced five of these into Southland last year in fulfilment of orders devote themselves to the manufacture of every description of farming implements and machinery ploughs, harrows, grubbers or cultivators, chaff-cutters, Cambridge rollers, drills, etc., the et cetera in this case covering a good deal. Talking of drills reminds us that the company are giving special attention to the “ Colonial ” seed and manure drill, for which they hold a patent. The main frame and the principal wearing parts are of steel, and it is worthy of note that the drill is of local manufacture throughout. It has an important improvement in the shape of a patent manure distributor, by means of which almost any variety of fertiliser can be sown, and in any quantity desired. It is, we are informed, in great demand in the district. But our .present concern is with the works. The additions on the Dee street side include offices for the clerical staff, and on leaving these the visitor finds himself in a spacious SHOW ROOM. It is well-stocked, its contents ranging in size from a traction engine to a coulter pin, while implements of various descriptions meet one at every turn. Passing on, we reach THE FITTING-UP SHOP. Here the sights and sounds are alike inspiring. Work is in full swing. The clinking of hammers, the whirr of machinery, and the rapid movements of the workmen pleasantly impress the onlooker. Artisans and labour-saving appliances occupy the greater part of the available space, but the arrange ments are such that there is no crowding or clashing, either of men or machinery, and everything goes on in orderly fashion. There are a large number of turning lathes in use here, a large vertical boring machine, screwing machines, emery grinding wheels, punching and shearing machines and others—everything in fact, necessary for bringing the material handled into prompt subjection to the design of the operator. Continuing our progress, we enter THE SMITHS’ SHOP, which is partially partitioned off from the one we have just left —an ar-x-angement which keeps the fittingup shop free from smoke and dust. Ten smiths and their attendants are busily engaged round as many forges, and in the centre, convenient to each group, is one of Ross and Glen’s massive steam hammers (Rigby’s patent) which is resorted to whenever a plough beam or other heavy pieces of metal have to be manipulated. It is worked by a boy, who by simply raising’ a lever can deliver a heavy enough to fell an elephant or so gentle as to barely crack a nut. The hammer is in pretty frequent request, and in its vicinity all is bustle and activity. Here is a group intent on putting a plough together; there, a disc harrow is being built up —in wha-tever direction you turn busy hands and labour-saving devices are in evidence. Having stayed long enough to note that the shop is fully equipped with the tools and machinery necessary for the rapid manufacture of first-class work, we-enter THE MOULDING SHOP, Its dimensions are 80 feet x 50 feet, and the floor has been excavated for a depth of about two feet, and filled with fine moulding sand. Here is to be witnessed one of the most interesting processes carried out in the establishment. About a score of men and youths are scattered over the floor, their work being the moulding of various pieces of machines of which castings are required. Great quick - nes and delicacy of touch are developed in this department, and fingers were moving with surprising smoothness and rapidity. Some of the castings made are of such dimensions as to require the use of a powerful crane, which is fitted up in the centre of the shop, and works on a pivot, sweeping the whole floor, so that the heaviest castings can easily be lifted from al-

most any parfc of tlie shop. Since the opening of the works several very heavy castings have been turned out. including some large split driving pulleys, measuring about S feet in diameter with a 16 inch face, forming, we believe, the largest pieces of work of the kind done locally. From the furnaces in which the iron is reduced to a molten ■ state to the most delicate castings, everything is of the latest, and nothing likely to ensure the best results is wanting. Reference has already been made to the “ Colonial” drill, and it may be mentioned here that during the busy season it was possible to see the raw “ pig” of the morning converted by the evening into beautiful castings such as coulters, manure pans, etc., for the aforesaid drills, and had anyone been inquisitive enough to follow their fortunes, he would probably have found them 24 hours later at work twenty or thirty miles from Invercargill. We have now reached our boundary westward, and passing out on the south side of the moulding shop the visitor finds himself in the back yard, which contains an abundance of material ready to be worked up in the shape of pig and bar iron, timber, etc., to saynothingof the article which “ makes the wheels go round,” namely, “ black diamonds.” Going on towards Dee street, another building is reached in THE FAINT SHOP, In which a number of men were engaged in putting the finishing touches to implements of various kinds, the manager evidently believing with our American cousins that there is no necessary connection between utility and ugliness. Next comes a climb, which ends in THE PATTERN ROOM. Here several workers were fashioning timber into facsimiles of the one hundred and one parts that go to make up different machines and implements. Great accuracy is necessarily required in the work, a good pattern being essential to a satisfactory casting. There is also stacked on the shelves ready for use a large number of patterns of every description needed in general engineering work. The greater part of these were bought by Mr Macalister at the sale of Messrs Kincaid and McQueen’s plant in Dunedin, and form a stock that in the ordinary course it would have taken a good many years to accumulate. Leaving this part of the factory, a few minutes is devoted to BOILER AND ENGINE ROOMS, which are attached to the south side of the main building. In the foimer are two mulitubular boilers of about about 15 horse power each, nicely built in, and fitted with the latest improvements. They supply steam to the big hammer already mentioned as well as the engine. This, a horizontal of about 30 horse power, occupies luxurious quarters next door. It drives the machinery throughout the factory, including, by the way, a powerful blower, which supplies blasts to'all the smiths’ forges, and a smaller one which does like duty for he furnaces. So ended our inspection of the works, which are in every respect a credit to the town and district, and which Avill doubtless commend themselves to the favourable attention of our settlers. They represent a considerable amount of capital, and it may be taken for granted that their promoters will meet with the recognition that their enterprise so well deserves. If the large and constantly needs of our agricultural community in the way of implements and machinery can be met as well and as ch eap I y here as from abroad, patriotism and economy alike dictate that the “ home made article” should receive the preference. There is in some quarters too great a readiness ta ignore local enterprises, and to laud to the skies anything foreign, and we have therefore all the greater pleasure in bringing before our readers, and especially our farming friends,, the fact that there is in our midst a business of the extent aud character of the one under notice.