THE KAIAPOI WOOLLEN FACTORY. [FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1964, 7 February 1885, Page 4

THE KAIAPO I WOOLLE N FACTORY. [FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]

Pa»t L First amongst the industries which demand attention in tho provineo of Canterbury, stands the Kaia|»oi Woollen Factory- From the large number of hands to which if gives employment, as well as the excellent quality of tho goods which it turns out, and tho demvnd for which seems to Indaily increasing, it must have ,i grr.it future before it, a future of profit both to its spirited company and to the colony. I feel that I cannot do justice to it nor to myself in giving a f.ui detcnption of wh.it I saw during my vnit unless I go a little into detail, so my account of it must necexarily be a little lengthened. Before lam finished I am certain that I will be able to favourably impress your leadeis with regard to the amount of energy and enterprim shown by the company in so perBeveringly establishing this important industry in our colony. Befoie I proceed further I would desire to express the obligations I am under to one of tho reporters for the Lyttelton Times for gic.itor portion of tho information I gamed with reference to the eHtablishment and working of the mill, which, with the limited time at my disposal, it would otherwise have been impossible for me to obtain. Like many other large work", the Kaiitpoi Woollen Factory started in a imimll way. In 18I>(> it may be stated that fUx was dressed on rather an extensive scale by Messrs Ninnis in a jiortion of the building included in the factory now under notice, the stampers beating the flax leaves on a wwoden drum built of stout timber, no that the end of the timber mot the blow. In a short time, however, the premises and machinery reverted to Mr F. Jenkins, of Christchurch. In 1873 a company holding 200,000 shares, valuo £20,000 was forme. The company purchased the premises and plant and a fair start wn* made in th© woollen venture in 1875. Matters appearing favourable, they doubled the plant, and were fortunate enough to secure thebontu of £2000 given by the Provincial Government for the promotion of woollen factories. For a time calls were made pretty frequently, and the directors finding it almost impossible to obtain _ money enough to carry out the plans, decided to m >ke an appeal to the shareholders to permit an incroane of capital. They were aNo desirous of removing the factory to another nite near the Heathcote, between Lyttelton and Christchurch. He did not how ever succeed in carrying out their proposals, and the end of the difference was a determination to sell the whole concern, as well as the extra plant ordered from England. All was disjxwed by public auction in July 1877 to the Hon J. T. Peacock for £7000. After holding it for a year, tho pmrnotors of the present company liought his interest, and were registered with a capit il of £15,000 in fifteen shares of £1000 e.ich. In June 18X0 the company extended it-. capital to £100,000 made up of £2.1 shares, the exhistmg shareholders getting £827 for the shaies held by them, including a profit on them of £3744, and of the remainder, the diicctois than issued IIJOO shares to pay off ainoigage of £7400, and to a mtabiinh a clothing branch in Christchurch. At the last general meeting of shaieholders on September 30th 1884, it was announced that all the capital had l>een called up, and that after carrying £5000 to the reserve fund, a dividend at 10 per cent i>er annum was declared. All the plant and buildings are now in good order, so the affair may now Im 1 deemed a financial success. The factory ii furthermore the most complete of its kind in tho Nmthcrn Heinihphero. Mr James Leithead (lateof Wilson's Mills, Kendal,) has from the commencement had the management of this extensive factory, Mr Kober*, Shanks being the bu>iness manager. Tho factory building*, which stand between the North Wnim.ikaini Bridge and Flaxton, present all the orthodox outward appearance of a null. Tho railway station is but a shoit distance from the mill, and the river Cam, a branch of the Waimakariri, can .be made use of for watei carriage. Visitors can only gain admittance to the works by obtaining .in order from the company's manager, tlie socret.ny, or .some of the directors, and when you hue piocured your passport, thiee hours at least may be profitably spent by any persons mteiested in the manufacture of woollens, and by those who may never lieforc have had the opportunity of witnessing similar machinery in n|ieriitinn, and hence are in ignorance of the immense outlay that is necessary to procure and -et up the beautiful machinery which turns the r.iw material into coarso flannel or highly finished doe-skin. The space occupied by the buildings is about eleven acres. Besides the factoiy itself there is also a boiler and dye-house. The main building provides accomodation for the teasing and carding machines on tho lower floor, the spinning vvebi on tho next, and the disigns room, spinning wheel and knitting machine on the next. And then we find on the light side three sheds covering an area of 200 ft x 100 ft. On the West is the engine house, milling house, dye lioiuc and finishers house. To the left of the weaving -sheds we have a Luge brick store twed for storing wool. A little further to the left we find the woohoi tei ■> room callable of holding 300 bales. Adjacent \* the sulphuring house wherein, flannel* aiid blankets which require tins trentinent are exposed to the action of biim^tone fumes in a closely confined brick chamber. Behind we find an elevated diying stand, occupying an area of nearly half an acre, coveied with rough canvass, where the wool is exposed to the exsiccating effects of the weather. To the left of the main building stands a laige tentcring frame, and a brick hou»e when the gas for illuminating the factory at night is made, a carpenter's and smith's whop* and a weighing machine. We will just for a short time tarry in the engineer's department. The boilers were made by J. Andeison and Sons of Christchurch, and can lie loaded with a pressuro of (JOlbit to f he inch. There are hoveral of them. They are Hippliud through a ( Jreen's patent cconomiscr w ith a Herifls of upright tubes about 3 inches in diameter. The water is supplied to them by tanks, and the surplus heat which passes from the boilers in its escape with the xnioke to th^ chimney, brings tho water nearly to tailing point. At least 20 )>er cent, of fire is thus saved, and thu haat of the contents of the boilers bettor maintained, than when as in the old system cold watei had to be supplied from time to time. The engine was made by Scott Bros., of Chiiht church, and is a piece of machinni y the colony may well feel proud of. It is a horizontal compound stationary engine, condensing and double-acting air pump, and makes about 70 revolutions per minute. It in (iO-horse power. Mr Walter Bioadly reports that it works perfectly in eveiy way, and it may also be s-tated that tho cylinders are supposed to be some of the largest yet c.u-t in the colony. It is also worthy of mention that the engine was delivered at the factory at £25 lowei than the price of a similar engine delivered at the London Docki. [To be contnwtif.)

" Ar,r. this hard wood jou export," the English tourist asked the Indian lumberman, "all this maplo and beech, you know, where does it po ':" And th« man told him that most ot it went direct to Scotland, where it was worked up into boxes nnd churns and paper folders from the rafters of Bunia's cottage and the home of Sir Walter Scott. And the tourist said " Haw !" and wrote some thing In his note book.

Killku by i. Telly-Fish. — A peculiar case of death from the stings of jelly fish is reported by the Townsville Bulletin. It seems that Frederick William Smith, a boy 11 years of age, about half pant seven on the morning of the 30th December, went into the shallow water of Ross Creek, near the Upper Ferry, to bathe. Shortly after he was seen by Mr John Kelley, of Ross Island, walking in about three feet of water, crying and striking bis hands against his thighs. Mr Kelley at first thought the boy had cut his foot with a bottle, but noticing that after going a few yards the boy fell down, Kelly ran to the spot, and found deceased lying dead in about three feet of water, with a large number of jelly fish all over bis body, though not more than three minute* had elapsed from the time whrn ho first noticed him. So numerous were the jellyfish that while Mr Kelly was removing the body from the water his o\\ n arms were severely bitten, necessitating after treatment to reduce the swelling. ! The deceased was seen by Dr Ridgley, ! who gave as his opinion that death resulted from the stingn of the fish.