Our Industries: No. 7. P. Huston & Co. Ltd. Wellington.

Progress, Volume I, Issue II, 1 September 1906, Page 312

Our Industries: No. 7. P. Huston & Co. Ltd. Wellington.

The expansion of our industries and manufactories is the best evidence that the true and lasting prosperity of this colony is assured. When it can be shown that locally manufactured articles — for the supply of which we were once dependent on importation — are ousting the foreign article, and making a name for themselves for their quality, durability and cheapness, it is a matter for congratulation. In no local branch of industry can the awakening of the public to the financial gam in supporting our fellow-colonists be better shown than in the business of Messrs. Peter Hutson & Co., whose repute as manufacturers of pottery, bricks and tiles has arisen to such an extent as to have kept the Wellington works busy night and day since 1 90 1. In a little beginning lies the foundation of most great enterprises, and this is true of the industry now under the consideration of Progress, an industry which was originally established about thirty-four years ago. Fifteen years ago the works were taken over by Mr. Hutson. They were then upon a very primitive scale. There were only one brick machine and three small kilns ; pottery was unheard of in the establishment ; and to carry out the work only eleven employees were necessary. The works then stood alone in that part of Wellington ; there was one villa m the background, and the hills were bare of habitation. Five 4 years saw a remarkable change. The machinery was greatly increased, buildings had gone up where open ground was before, and in the vicinity signs of settlement had appeared. There were then thirty men employed ; and as yet many parts of the establishment presented the appearance of broken-down tenements, or mere primitive shedding. A leap of ten years brings the reader to the present time, when the buildings, including handsome brick offices and store rooms, neatly and substantially constructed drying and modelling rooms, large brick kilns, etc., make an imposing show covering a total area of an acre and a half of ground. At the time Mr. Hutson took over the factory it possessed only one small hand pipe machine, and one pug mill. Now there are three pipe machines, some of them of tremendous capacity, and the principal plastic brick-making machines are capable of turning out 2,000 bricks an hour, whilst another makes 1,200 an hour. The principle of construction is simple, and yet it has taken many years of labour and thought to bring brick-making to its present pitch of perfection. It is interesting to mention that many improvements and ingenious contrivances have been introduced into the manufacture by Mr. Hutson himself, and that he has been throughout his own engineer and architect, designing the whole of the buildings and plant. To give briefly an idea of the process followed we must take the reader first in imagination two miles distant from the factory, where the Company

has a considerable area of ground which is utilised to procure the clay or raw material for brick and pipe making. No less than ten teams are constantly employed in conveying the clay from the pits to the factory and delivering the goods to customers, etc. Entering the premises by a wide roadway from Wallace street, the clays are deposited in two distinct sections, one for the pipe clay and the other for the brick clay. Here the material is soaked and matured, after which it passes into

the pug mill and afterwards into the machines. From the brick machine the moulded articles in plastic form pass across rolls to the cutting machine which delivers nine bricks at a time, and, as before related, the chief machines turn out no less than 2,000 an hour. The manufacture of the pipes is a still more interesting study, for it is amazing to see large six-inch pipes made in a few seconds. We carefully noted the time, and observed that, discounting preliminary work and delivery, the actual process of making these pipes takes about eight seconds, whilst the inclusion of the former only bungs the time occupied up to fifteen seconds, so that the machine really turns out about 240 6-inch pipes per hour, or about 360 4-inch pipes in the same time. The next process is that of drying, and then comes the final one of burning. There is drying

space all over the building, and the mam drying floor is scientifically arranged to admit any quantity of air from any direction required. It may be here remarked that Mr. Hutson devised an idea which has since been taken up by pottery manufacturers in Germany. This consists in the introduction of revolving shutters on the " weather " side of the drying room, which have proved of immense value. Shutters on every side and m the roof are capable of being opened and closed m a very short time in order to admit or shut out the air as desired. For the burning process there are four large brick-built kilns, of great substantiality and thickness. They are constructed on the down-draught system, and three of them are equipped with ten furnaces, whilst the fourth, which is the newest and largest, has twelve. This last kiln is capable of accommodating 30 000 bricks. The brick-and-tile-making plant includes one machine which should not be passed without notice. This is a large pipe machine which turns out the

pipes up to twenty-four inches in diameter (the largest made in the colony) and it can be worked by either steam or hydraulic power. Of these large pipes this machine can turn out 20 in an hour. There is also another pipe-machine wherein 100 twelve-inch pipes can be made m sixty minutes. It is interesting to note that Mr. Hutson was the first to introduce the roller principle m brick-making machines. He had ball bearings sent from America, but they proved ineffective, and the Firm is now using roller bearings. On the upper floor, immediately over the brick-makmg section, is a department devoted to the manufacture of pottery and sanitary lines in plaster-of-Pans moulds. The articles here made include chimney pots, gully traps and like manufactures. The main pottery section is at the southern end of the buildings, and is separated from the brick and tile depart-

merits, although under the same roof. To trace the process of pottery-making from the outset is intensely interesting. The branch first visited is that where the " potter's clay " is ground by a machine, the drivingwheel of which accomplishes 4,500 revolutions per minute. From the grinding machine the clay is carried by an elevator to a Haslam separator which thoroughly sifts the material and leaves no foreign matter behind. The clay is then placed in vats and soaked in water. That process being •completed, it is taken to large brick-built air and water-tight chambers, where it is left for several months to mature. The clay is then ready for the potter's hand to fashion it into all sorts of curious

shapes and designs which serve for use or ornament, and sometimes for both. The mam pottery department, where the interesting work of the potter is carried on, is situated in a two-storied building adjoining the brick manufacturing section and is •divided into two departments, one measuring 48 ft. x 24 ft., and the other 68 ft. x 45 ft. in dimensions. The pottery establishment possesses three potter's wheels, and it is curious to relate that the same implement has been employed since the time of the ancient Egyptians. Modern science and invention have, however, greatly improved upon the ancient device which was worked by the hands or feet, the latest-improved contrivances being driven by electric motors. We may here mention that in order to keep abreast of the continuous demand for bricks that arose in the " nineties," extra power and machinery had to be installed. For some months before the new Company took over the concern, Mr. Hutson used a 24-h.p. electric motor to drive a part of the machinery. This had given such satisfactory results as to cost against steam, that he advised the Firm to dispose of their engine and boiler, and use electric motors for the whole of the plant. This was eventually done, so that now there are four motors running which possess an aggregate capacity of 70 h.p. It is amazing to watch the rapidity with which the skilled craftsman can transform a shapeless lump of clay into a useful or ornamental article upon the potter's wheel. Jugs, jars, flower pots, some ornamented with beautiful designs, are moulded in a few seconds by the hand of the potter , and these articles are placed in the dry state m saggers, or fire-clay boxes which are put inside the kiln for the burning or hardening process. There is another plaster-of-Pans section in this part of the premises where all white enamelled chmaware is being made, and on the lower floor are the " dipping " or glazing departments kept artificially at a mean temperature of from 125 to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. In other chambers the work of glossing the pottery manufactures is carried on, and in this branch the Firm's employees have attained special merit, for the varied and interesting display of glossed pottery-ware in a show room attached to the premises is superior to anything we have seen. Here, also in the same section, are pedestal and w.c. pans in sanitary ware. It is interesting to note that the quality of the pipes turned out from these woiks is high enough to evoke very satisfactory opinions from well-known civil engineers. Mr. R. L. Mestayer declared some time ago, in the course of his long report on the Wellington drainage scheme, that he had used pipes manufactured by the best makers in England and Australia, and

he could confidently assert that the Hutson pipes used m this work were second to none. The pipes supplied were of remarkable strength, and when subjected to tests gave the following results : 6-m. pipes, weighing 381bs. (head in feet 92), stood an internal pressure of 40lbs. per square inch ; 8-m. pipes, weighing 52IDS (head in feet 127), s slbs. per square inch ; 9-in. pipes, weighing 6ilbs. (head in feet 92), 4olbs. per square inch ; 10-in. pipes, weighing 77lbs (head m feet 115), solbs. per square inch; 12-m. pipes, weighing 1 01 lbs. (head in feet 104) 45lbs per square inch. The capability of pressure stipulated in the contract was only 151135. per square inch (internally), but the figures given above show that that requirement was far exceeded by Messrs.

Hutson. The Firm also supplied 12-mch pipes standing a pressure of 45IDS per square inch, for the Palmerston North waterworks, also the Hawera waterworks, the Hawera drainage scheme, and 12-mch pipes for the waterworks at Masterton North. For the last two years Messrs. Hutson have been supplying the boroughs of Palmerston North and Feildmg with stoneware pipes for local drainage schemes , it will take some months yet to complete these contracts. The Firm also secured the contracts to supply the Government Public Works Department and Wellington City Council with stoneware pipes and other goods, besides various supplies for County Councils and Road Boards, a state of things which keep them exceptionally busy at the Wallace street works, where there are some fifty hands in constant employment.

The New Brickworks at Newtown. Owing to the increased demand for all kinds of goods at the pottery works, and the firm's inability to keep their customers supplied with bricks, they resolved some time ago to erect new brickworks at Newtown. These are now in full operation, and are well worth visiting. The works are replete with the latest and most improved machinery driven by electric-motor power, similar to that used at the pottery works. The method of brickmaking at Newtown is qui. d different to that of any other works in the colony. The materials used are a hard clay and shale which are first quarried and mixed with a proportion of clay, and then passed into a grinding pan, 9 ft. 6 m. in diameter, fitted with two large grinding rollers, weighing 3 tons each, which crush the shale and clay through fine perforated iron gratings. From the gratings the materials fall into a hopper, and are then conveyed by means of an elevator to the floor above. From there they are passed down into the brick machines. These machines are specially constructed to give great pressure, each brick being subjected to an even pressure of about 70 tons. This process dispenses with drying sheds, and enables the bricks to be taken from the machines to the kiln, the two machines being capable of turning out 10,000 bricks each in eight hours. This machinery was supplied by Messrs. Geo. Foster & Sons, of Sydney. A great advantage is claimed for bricks made under this system over the ordinary plastic bricks, inasmuch as the porosity of the shale brick is about 25% less than the plastic-made brick. This means that a brick house or store built with the shale-made bricks will be a considerably drier building than any other. Architects and engineers may themselves become conversant with tests that have been made from reliable sources, including a special test made at the Canterbury Engineering Laboratory. Perhaps the most noticeable work in Wellington that has been executed entirely with these bricks is the residence of Mr H. P. Rawson, on Wellington terrace. This building has a particularly well-finished appearance, and in itself is a splendid testimonial to the merit of both the building and the face bricks. Dalgety & Co.'s new wool store also presents a fine appearance, the bricks showing up extremely well. Amongst the contracts in which the Hutson face bricks only have been used may be mentioned the D.1.C., and Abraham & Wilhams's, and Murray, Roberts & Co.'s wool stores. Other important works earned out entirely with these bricks are : — Dr. Shand's residence, in Vivian street ; S. Brown's building, in Johnston street ; Crabtree's foundry ; Luke's foundry ; Menteath & Beeres building, Stout street ; Lindsays building, Woodward street ; Jamieson Bros., Woodward street ; additions to Wellington Hospital and Consumptive's Home ; Catholic residence in Daniel street ; Chinese Mission Home, Frederick street ; while the building for the National Bank, Grey street, is being erected with these bricks, and for which over 200,000 bricks will be required. The Firm have orders in hand for about half a million bricks on important works in Wellington

during the next few months, so that a busy time is m store for them. The Company have also added to their list of manufactured goods a long-felt want, viz. • — fire-clay goods. After years of study and experimenting they have succeeded in manufacturing reliable fire-clay goods, which they claim will compare with any of the imported articles. Great care is taken in the selection of fire clays, these being continually analysed and tested to prevent flaw in the finished product. From the tests and trials made the Firm claim that their goods will compare well with the celebrated Stonebridge fireclay goods. Every care is taken in the manipulation of the ingredients by using the latest machinery and appliances. To get the best results from the raw materials the Firm have erected specially constructed kilns to ensure the very best turning which is inseparable from the making of a sound and reliable fire brick. In the past Mr Hutson had great trouble to get colonial fire bricks and fire blocks to stand m pottery kilns and furnaces for any length of time, so that he was forced into the position of trying to manufacture an article that would stand the required usage. He was successful in doing this, for the Firm has made, during the past six years, all the fire bricks, fire blocks and tiles used m the works, besides supplying a considerable quantity to the public. The Firm now claim that with their increased plant they are in a position to meet any orders for this class of goods At Newtown improvements are being continually

effected m order to meet the ever-increasing demands for manufactured articles, made both at the Mansfield street brickworks, where some thirty hands are employed, and the pottery works in Wallace street. The Firm, m addition to their manufacturing business, do a large trade m cement, lime, etc.