NEW MOTOR GARAGE.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 April 1919, Page 6

NEW MOTOR GARAGE.

OPENED BY MR. C. L. WILSON. ONE OF THE LARGEST GARAGES IN NEW ZEALAND. The large hall on Bridge street east, Elthain, built some few years since by Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P'., and used at various times as a picture theatre and skating rink, has now been put to a more useful purpose, viz., that of a motor garage. For this purpose large additions and numerous alterations have been made to the building until as it stands at present it is one of the largest and best equipped garages in the Dominion. Its external appearance has also been completely altered, the whole of the building being nicely finished in white stucco which, together with the addition of a handsomely finished showroom with large windows, makes it difficult to recognise in the new garage the remaining portions of the hall. This building is being opened to-day as a motor garage by Mr. C. L. Wilson, who takes over the motor car branch of the business of C. A. Wilkinson, Ltd. The various departments and rooms are comprised as follows:—Show room, 38ft. x. 40ft.; spare parts department, 38ft. x. lGft.; tyre room 14ft. ». 10ft.; oil room 14ft. x. 15ft.; office 14ft. x. 15ft.; clerk's office and main garage 130 ft. x. .140 ft.; workshop 130 ft. x. 10ft.; battery charging room 14ft. x. 15ft.; engine room 14ft. x. 10ft.; making a total floor area of 10,318 square feet. The whole building is completely fireproof, and will be lighted throughout with electric light from a. large dynamo and storage battery, while there is also provided a complete separate unit for charging car batteries. In addition the town gas supply is also laid throughout the building as an auxiliary lighting power.

Some of the features of the building as noted by a press representative, who visited it recently, were the handsome show room, with colored floor designed to give the impression that the floor is covered by a huge carpet, the whole nicely decorated in brown tones. The ceiling is finished with beaver boards, and heavy stained beams, while large windows facing the street pro-' vide ample light during the day time. This room is intended entirely for the display of new cars. The office is centrally situated between the main building and show room, and with easy access to these and other departments. Adjoining is the tyre store room—a dark room for the better preservation of the tyres.

The main garage is a spacious room, which will accommodate a huge number of cars, while in a convenient corner is the clerk'B office. The garage has four large entrances, two ordinary entrances from the street to admit cars, one to the workshop and a fourth at the end of the building specially fitted with a travelling crane for the expeditions handling of new cars in their cases. This crane is so fitted that it is able to lift the car in its case and place it in any desired spot in the garage, prior to the removal of the case and the preparation of the car for the road. There are powerful lights over each entrance and throughout the garage, so that the fall of evening need cause no delay with any work in hand.

In the garage may be seen several new Maxwell ad Grant cars, and Truckford units. The latter may be attached to almost any make of chassis, and when completed— at a very .reasonable costprovides one of the most effective oneton lorries ever placed upon the market. This should prove a very popular investment in this district, where there is a good demand for this class of vehicle. One of these units attached to a 40-horse power Overland chassis has been doing good work for Mr. L. Bunn between Eltham and Orioana. Twelve of the latest model Ma swell cars are due to arrive this month. It may be mentioned here that while in the past the 'firm of C. A. Wilkinson, Ltd., has not carried out any work except in connection with those cars for which it held the agency, from this date forward all classes of work will b e undertaken. With the large staff, complete plant, and ample conveniences at his command it is Mr. Wilsqn's intention to undertake work of every description. He is also distributing agent for the whole of Taranaki for the 'Maxwell and Grant cars, and the Maxwell and United motor trucks. Further, as soon as the cars are available, Mr. Wilson intends also to establish an agency for a good class of English car.

Off the main garage is to be found the oil and benzine store—a well-fitted room with every convenience for the storage of large quantities of these important commodities. Leading also from the garage is a stair to a commodious loft This latter is divided into two apartments, the first of which is especially constructed for the currying out of ail classes of electrical repair work and battery charging, and the second an engine room containing a 2% Hornsby gas-en-gine and a 60-volt Openhsaw 'generator for the battery work. There also will be situated the generator and accumulators for lighting the building. The workshop is a roomy apartment running: the whole length of the building, and is particularly well-lighted. Tt contains two lathes; tyre press for solid tyres (with special . cranes to lift the tyres to the press); air cylinder for the expeditious inflation of tyres; drill; volcaniser: forgo; emery wlieel; three pits; three benches; also moveable benches'; travelling crane on a special railway for handling heavy repair work; together with .other equipment completing an up-to-date workshop. The whole of the machinery is driven by a 4 hp. Hornsby gas engine. The tyre press i-; cnnahle of bundling tyres of the largest, size manufactured, and exerts a pressure of tw.i tons. The entrances to this shop arc from the garage and spare store, together with a sneeinllv constructed entrance from Bedford street to admit the largest motor trucks or lorries.

Finallv there is the spare parts and accessories department, the ampin fittings of which are heavily laden with a very largo stock. An important feature of any ear agency is the availibility of spare parts, and as Mr Wilson supplies these to every dealer throughout Xew Zealand he is aide to earrv verv large storks, and therefore also is able to give prompt, service in supplying any demand made upon him by clients. . Mr 0. T;. Wilson has been closely connected with (be firm of 0. A. Wilkinson. Ltd.. for the past five years, and has spent many years*in the district. His narents were for some five or six years in business in the town, and Mr Wilson cttended th" local school for a number of years, and has therefore many friends in the district who will nil congratulate him-upon bis enterprise in opening such a complete anil up-to-date business and v'-h him p'-nvv good fortune in his new venture.—Advt.