LOCAL INDUSTRY. THE CUVIER ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE Auckland, October 27.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 312, 31 October 1888, Page 4

LOCAL INDUSTRY. THE CUVIER ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE Auckland, October 27.

It its a plcasiuc to !>c able to iccoid the .success ol any local industry 01 of anything that goes to show what the colony can do in the manufacturing line. We yesterday had the pleasuic of inspecting the iron tower nianutactiued by Mr A<lara Hcaney at his Aieh Hill non and brass toundiy ior the lighthouse that is to be erected on Cuvier Island. Mr Boanoy has only had to do with the ii on work, the lantern and lighting machineiy having boon imported tiom Kdinburgh. Men ate now busily employed on the island laying a solid conciete foundation for the iron work, and building cottages ior the lighthouse keeper and his assistants besides effecting other necessary works in the wav ot roads, landing place, etc. In the absence ot Mr Beaney when our repi osentathe proceeded toAich Hill>esteiday, lie was shown ovei the towei bv Mr John .Marks, the engineer employed bj the contractor to superintend the work. The towei is elected in the yaid of the found ty, whete it present*- a very masshe appeamnce, being tome 30 teot in height, and save ior the necessary window.s and doors i.s quite smooth, airtight and watertight, it is built of the tiers ot plates, 16 iroing to a tier, making 80 in all. Thes-o are cast iron. The lirst three tiers tapei peacefully up, and then the last two are plumb, ending in a gun metal sole plate on which the lantern will rest. The tower is 18 feet in diameter at the bottom, and at the top 13 feet 4 inches. The joinings of the plates on the outside are barely visible, so caiefullv has the work been done, being planed and fitted togethei so as to make them watertight. Inside one gets a veiy good idea of the strength of the structuic. The plates have deep flanges which aie strengthened e\ery five inches by gussets., and bolted together with bolts and nuts at e\eiy h"\e inches. Proceeding in-ide the tower through the foundation doorway one can see the strong and wide foundation of the ironwoik, which is to be seemed to the conciete foundation by bolts tour feet in length, and ljin in diameter, 16 in number, fixed through an equal number of strong Lam]) 5 -. A winding stairway of wiought iron leads to the second storey, which will be the loom in which the watchei of the clamps will take his stand. It has two windows let into the centre of the plates, 3ft by lft 4in. Another winding staiiwuy leads to the storey above, which is to foim the lightioom in which (he machinery for woikinj; the lantei n, and the lamps, etc.. will be stored. Instead of windows it is provided with eight biass adjustable ventilators. Additional strength isgisento this floorand also to the other oneby their girdei s lesting on two solid 10 x 3 with angle iion and plates. A small step ladder of wiought iron ltado on to a balcony that tuns towaids the towoi , and is toimed of 16 east iion open woi ked plates fitting into 16 solid brackets and sui rounded bv a high, light and ornamental wrought iion i ailing. Five and a-halt feet abo\ c is another smaller balcony some eighteen inches wide, i cached by a cast iron ladder, which will enable the keeper to have access to the outside of the lantern, which is to be of gunmetal and British plate glass, and will be 19 feet high. Strength is the main feature in the towei, and while gi\ ing a good idea ot this the building has been done so excellently as to present a liuht and almost aitiotic appearance. The contract was taken to be completed within tour months' from the acceptance ot the tender, and as the tiire will not be up until December 2nd Mi Beanev has more than a month to the good for the lower will be quite ready for taking to pieces ior transpoi tation to it-- destination by Tuesday next. A few of the intoi nal fittings have still to be completed and the entire towei eo\eied with two coats ot 1 cal hematite paint. During the tour months it has been building the tower has found work for some twenty hands, men and boys. Mr Adam Beaney has personally superintended the casting ot the large plates, while Mr Fairweather has attended to the wrought iron work. The engineering department and the erection ot the tower have been under thedneo tion of Mr John Mai ks. The tower as it now stands at Arch Hill contains o\er 40 tons of deadweight, and when one comes to look at the whole structure, the class of work and the quality ot finish, we can only say that the contractors and his assistants have every reason to feel pioud of what they have done. This is the iiist tower of its kind that has been manufactured in the colony, though, two or threehavc been impoi ted. After seeing what colonial iron workers can do it does seems u shame that such contracts should be sent out of the colony when the money might be kept hcie and employment ghen to our artisan*. Tenders for the work were invited from all New Zealand, and it is pleasing to know that the only Auckland tenderer secured the job. It is to be hoped that when it is seen what can be done hore, less work wrll be sent out of the country, and that our local manufacturers will be given a chance. The contract has been earned out under the careful inspection of Mr Mirfin, who declares himself highly pleased with it both in detail and altogether. Mr Beaney invites any or the public who care to do so, to pay his foundry a visit, and inspect the tower as it now stands in his grounds'. A visit to the various departments of the works will prove very interesting. Ln one place can be seen stoves of Mr Beaney 's manufacture, which he has christened " Protectionist No 1," also Cambridge rollers used in agriculture for crushing clods, and which can be manufactured for less than they can be imported. In the founding room are three cupolas for melting iron, in three diameters - 54 feet 6 inches, 2 feet 8 inches, and 3 feet 6 inches. All the iron used in the manufacture of the lighthouse tower was melted in the second of. the tin eo. A travelling crane, capable of turning over 7 tons, and which can be worked by a boy, is very interesting. — Auckland " Star."