THE SOUTHERN CROSS GALVANISING WORKS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3083, 19 April 1892, Page 3

THE SOUTHERN CROSS GALVANISING WORKS.

Onk (if tin? bout pr »ifs of nur a'lvanciMiir-nt aa a manufacturing cohny, and of the growth of our local industries is the establishment and rapid pr>>gre«si»n of tho Southern Criiss Cdvanisitiß Works, which havo been founded and bnuv.'lt to their present prosperous condition hv the energy, ingenuity, and enterprise of their founder and owner, Mr Samuel Parker, of Aiirkliind. The principal works are at Meclianic'u Bay, where, a fino new factory ha* been built at cmisiderahle n.'.st and every appliance is provided for the manufacture of galvanised iron. Alnrs« staff uf workmen are koptconstantly i-umloyud at the works they have as foreman. Mr A. St-v*n.«, who ha* had large experience in this wr.ikann to who«e courtesy, and tlmt of Mr I »rKur, our representative win indebted for much valuable information on the occasion of his late visit. The. quality of tho inn manufactured here i.s superior to any imported, and is Held at a slight advance on what the hitter can be, landed at the wlnrf for. It. is heavily coated with xinc ; this increases it-s wearing power to n very iaran extent:, indeed, making it much hotter than the imported article. The G feet sheets made here aver.itrc 121b each in weight. Special sizes and thicknesses can be made to suit requirements if time and sufficiently la we orders nrfl given. The factory in Mechanic s Bay is a fine spacious galvanised iron build ing admirably adapted f. rthe purpose: there is also a receiving store for black iron, i> large portion of which is received from Onehunga where it is manufactured from waste iron picked up all over the colony. This black iron is received in the, sheet and before passing through the sulphuric acid baths, it is carefully examined to sec that there aro no flaws or dirt on it. Large crates in which the sho°t iron is affixed are u-ed in pausing it through the bath, these are lowered by machinery, thus saving the mens' hands and doing the work more expeditiously. After leaving the acid baths the iron sheets are deposited in water previous to being examined when all cinders and grit are removed with brushes, after which they are again put in water baths to prevent oxidisation. Thence they go into the zinc bath, are then branded and pass through the corrugating machine and all weighed and packed ready for sending away. Nearly nil the materials used in making the galvanised iron, viz., black iron, acid, coal, coke, are, obtained in the colony, lhecoal is from Waikato, tho acid from Kempthorne and Prns.ier's acid works, Otahuhu ; the iron is scrap iron from every part ot the country. The only article imported from England is the sal ammoniac used in the flux. The scrap zinc is picked up all over New Zealand and is transported and smelted in the factorv. More than threequarters of the expenditure (which is large) in connection with these works is mado in payment for labour in gathering scrap iron and scrap zinc, which articles otherwise would, to a certain extent, be wasted. Mr Parker is open to purchase any quantity ot scrap zinc (small or large) at £12 per ton. He hag a stock of 200 tons of galvanised iron always on hand, and so can execute orders to a reasonable amounb witnaispiltch. The works in Victoria-street, JMvit, are also well organised; galvanise! iron in smaller quantities has long been made here, but attention in this branch is more particularly directed to the manufacture ot lead-headed naila, ridging, spouting, etc., in fact all the requirements for this trade are manufactured and kept in stock. As all the goods made by the proprietor are of the very best description and as they are sold a , ; prices only slightly in advance at which foreign manufactures of this kind can be landed at the Auckland wharf, we trust our Waikato aettlers will patronise this excellent lnol industry by purchasing all material fir building, roofing, and fencing from Mr Parker. We wish this fine industry all the success it undoubtedly deserves. _^___^___^__