Papers Past | Newspapers | Press | 24 March 1879 (2025)

KAIAPOI WOOLLEN WORKS.

Vetedsr *a* certainly a red letter day in .JSof the establishment of the firsS i ° I T Ilrork * within the CanSkorrdatrict, in which fact there is erery ifC^/or general cougrstiilatiaa at the »- thai far. Outsiders may aba«j £*&« credit of introducing into the colony «JbLeryforthe leaking of woollen fables, STaIJM he* ll left to the credit °* Canter - i~r wH to the present directors of the !«3, nnd«r notice, to pwe that the nme Srt been eminently profitable. Although it jf ndh-troe that the former owner*, riz., tie Canterbury Spinning and Wea-ring ComPißj, failed in their enterprise, partly from imntaf experience in management and a lack of capital, besides a disnaion among the prowjaiars in reference to a change in the aite \ m operation*, *he lubsequent proprietary reratered under the name of "The Kaiapoi " WooSenMannfaettrring Company (Limited)," ■W& bought the concern eecond-hand at a low fasxt, bw already demonstrated in iU first - statement a profit on judicioui teopomed management and skill properly spoiled. Am the nltimate «ncceea of thie indffliS»y affect* eTeryone, aot only the wool mjwen, the company, and its merchants, but tke pablio as a whole, a refiew of ite proeven end aa account of the proceedings TMierday dferre more than a passing notice. sfe? 'ettabliihment of such indnstries as this ja the colony in fact claim f%r more attention tfctWihejr nttfally recsive, when it is considered bow many hands they gire employment to gad the large proSU and expenses which are ttred npon imported goods. ' It is indismitablealio that the quality of the woollen fabrics manufactured here cannot be questioned for economy in price, aa well as nsefsJuMS, seeing that the price of wool here dee set admit the employment of any inhnpT article as a miitore or substitute. B may be stated that, in the factory under issfee, the fiat drwrinj of flax on anything His an eitecsive eoalf, was carried on within . Sγ: walls in by Messrs TSinnis, by eeios of the battery or stamper process—the - Amper beating the flu learss on a wooden drum built of stout timber, so that the end of the timber met the blow. As these gentlemen were, howeTer, unable to conduct their experiments to a successful pajing speculitioa, the premises, including buildings and machinery, rererted toilMr F. Jenkins, of Cbristeharch. In 1873 a company holding 8000 shares, value £20,000, was established, tits names of the provisional directors being Mmn B. H. Kiodes, W. H. Packer, B. F. Jenkins, W. H. Lane, W. Wood, f,2, Jameson, and J. A. Bird. This complsfy pcrohased the premises and plant, with tfe* object of prosecßting the- dressing of pbormium Sbre and making it into sack?, ptcks, and scrim, but it baring been ascertained that the purchase of the machinery for tiia purpose would entail an outlay equivaJpit to isaJf of the capital, the shareholders, tpca the rf commend a'ion of the directors, dsoi*d to forego that and approach the Bssafactare of blankets and fluniels. The HaeHoery for the latter work was then entered, tad a large portion of it is still in ratming order. A fair start in the woollen realore 'was made by the company in 1875, So well did the undertaking promise that it ma (ooa r determic9d to doable the plant; and farther, the bonus of £2000, giren by the ftefindal GoTernment for the promotion of *eol&a manufactory was obtained. About sent calls were made on the shareholders, airtiim directeTS finding it impossible to oStsa further advances snffieient to meet their plane, an appeal was made to the member* to consent to an increase of the capital, v veil m to the removal of the factory to mother fits near the Heatheote, on the line of the Xtytteltan and Christehurch railvay. As this was, however, opposed, the <mteosae of tha difrarencea of opinion resulted Bj"»'&eUnoifla±ion to atU. ths whole concern, together with the additional plant ordered frasaEEglwsL At the auction sale in July, J. T. Peacock porihawd the

irhok tot £700 Q. In the following July the had purchased his interest, *sd vss tepttzrtd with a capital of £15,000, is iueta of £1000, and the existing psppnsbi* SCT Messrs Isaac WUson (chairmsa ef iirt&cn), G. H. Black well, and E. BnrsbaC&ecton), G. Coap, S- Coup, E. ifcfoMi,T. Pashby, W. Saosom, J. T. PeaeeeS, J. H. Evans, James Wood, J. W. Kkn, 3. B&llantyne, and B. Moore. The tmtm£ of cipital paid up is £12,000. Excarefully the first financial statement ef4b» company, it shews an apparent profit of £700 on the operations up to January last. Ibt prnaiuaa set by the shareholders on the tharet is about £150 on the amount already padIt may, therefore, be asserted that the saititatian is at present a prosperous one, and with the pk&t at command will soon return si&od*<Hn6;dmdend to those interested. ~

Pawecgeri in the trains along the northern rsae»y bo doubt hare observed to the «eetm of that line, between the Karth Wai. mstatriu bridge and Fl&xtan, a large pile of bcildingj presenting all the orthodox outward appweoce of * lwrge mill with its falF chimaey and numerous windows in tfa* fowt*c*ia of ft «aniature forest. ; *The ■ bnflctis/js sr* tbote in which the operatiam. si woollen manufacture ape con-* deeM, 4p«{ the back ground of trees li£ iae domain, to which the premi*ea of theCompany abut, Aβ basi'MH ifeadily increase*, it is within the range d pouihUiij that a nil way siding from this fiat will be required to connect with the feetory to convey coal inwards, and bring nagi the manufactured article. Approach/fcf nearer to the premise*, it is speedily etemined that the work* not only may have 6t convenience of expeditious land carriage, Wijm the advantage of economical water awejwife for it* rwjttiremtßtti eeeinfr the &», a oonfinect of the Waimakariri, flows date put' the door. This rirer here pre«rm a depth for some distance of 15ft. or - fe, in a dear peHodd streatp. It i> practiaSlj narfg&ble into the main rirer, and the l&tr, irhen dredged for a disUnce of & few Saint, will leave the navigation open to the iSiior •eboonew or ketches np to 60 or 70 torn?, btorthen* Some years ago Oookson, 3o»W, and Co., from a ehed near the tite of tiM-ketory,-shipped nearly all the teaton't c%>rf Tool grown in Forth Cinterbnry. Wgalirly by «uch craft as those alluded to, tersctmto Ljttelton barber." The directors «Jti» Woollen Company probably may at mrtgf leaiote period ficd itgreatly to their to re-open the same channel of e *^^iiatio , D. In tbi» wise not only will tseijsisadld qualities of the Cam wat#r ; as «Owt known for cleansing troolj be uttlited •»Jb« but it will also prora a cheap *»r,' Uiere are times at which-the iloode s®?tt« main rirer h»Te backed ep into the bb| never to overflow the facsory PSSHKi, and only in the immense flood of IS ® hm they"be*i3 wetted. 4s » pre?W*aiisry m«aiure, the new portion of the *?3&aK hu been erected oa a higb. level, on nssSsßtud oooctete haiement*. As emb»sk> bw alto been put round the me* »id| by the ManderSle and "■iLijuia Seed Board, whidi. effectually «oaEne aty flood to the river. The saasaMM in tbe works are placed jo that bpttoma of the loom* and the B **«3sg machines would be reached by stush **«« c the exoeptian*! on* eUoded to, the cording enginet are quite out of immediately to the eoene of open- •*•..* eaay be aUt«d that the land now occnfiw acre*, within five minut#e' wall and the vi»itors by train *j\*»ip9i had no difficnlty in finding their proceeding across the Swing «pgiaal aloog Charlee street, following the the Maori pa,: The wen grweed, and i> being mjaSif 3|*®m4 with trees and pl»at»tioce, which aa *J J as well S3 effectasJly prerent jpP 3l * froia loose eand daring high winds. en this land r elude tbe centre! 3 !. 112 ft i lOSft, aportwnof storey. tiw covered with weather boarding *& neir *^^^ on ** corerea ] iron over both sides and roof. ! Won Ztd*®*' tt]-VBsrmKvr\ » *lf> naiber of wT,, Both ," e 1 .W5? !?*»faiftiß-doS^. of l 1,l ' ld ! &n *

•h*d (205 ft x ISffc.), and overseer** cottag* sod garden. The former mill TOim was 107 ft. i SSfk, hitherto need for all the engines and looms, but now only adapted for warping, beaxsdng, weaving, milling, and cutting, the several machine* co engaged being placed therein. On the lower flo r, lOSft. i S£ft., of the new part stands the teasers, carding, end condensing engine*. On the upper floor," witk the wane area of space the self-acting mules and lighter machines. Close to the work is placed the main spring or motive power. This we may describe first and next proceed to follow Mr James Wood, the übiquitous and courteous manager, j through the process of manufacture. The boiler house, built of brick, oontains two Cornish boilers 20ft. in length, and sft. in diameter, fitted with Galloway's patent tubes. Each boiler has three of these tubes. The boilers are from the foundry of John Anderson and Son, Christchurch. They are fed with a patent Tauxhall pump, and can be loaded to a pressure of 601bs per square inch. The water supply is pumped from four 2iach artesian welU, 40ft. in depth, which overflosr into a well 14ft. deep. From this source there is a never-failing supply of the clearest water. Pasting into the engine room, from whence all the machine* receive their power, it is seen that a fast-running expansive horizontal condensing engine i« here employed. It is one made by Ormerod, G-rierson and Co. of Manchester. The cylinder is a 12-inch, making 120 motions per minute with a 2ft. stroke. This engine can be worked up to a pressure of 601bs, and holds a certificate from the Government inspector of machinery. The stroke can be cut at any length of the piston to expand the steam by means of a patent expansion governor. It has Porter's >atent governors on an equilibrium valve. The crank has a balanced dice to equalise the stroke. The pump works direct from the piston horizontally to the condenser, which is contained on the same bed. All the appointment* of the engine are very complete, and kept in beautiful order by the engineers in charge. The fly wheel weighs about two tons, and is 7ft. in diameter. Inside the factory the shafting is driven from a vertical shaft, which is geared from the fly wheel by two bevel wheels, one with iron teeth, the other with wood cogs. This vertical shaft is sin. in diameter, and works in brass with steel ends. Both ends of it correspond, and this transmits the motion to the shafting through the length and breadth of the building. The main shaft in the carding room is 4in. in diameter for a length of 30ft., and then reduced to 3in. In this room the shaft working the pulley and gearing of the engines is 110 ft., there being a similar length in the upper storey. The whole of the main shaft performs 120 evolutions per minute. It is borne up by stout brackets bolted to large baulks in the ceilings, and works so easily that there is hardly any vibration. In the next room the looms,, warp mill, and washing machine are drawn by the smaller-sized shafts in two lengths of 134 ft. and lOSft. The pulleys are oiled by means of the needle selflubricators. In every respect the greatest care has been exercised in placing the power so as to be available to the utmost extent, and the management of it under the supervision of the company's engineer, Mr W. Breadley, reflects very great credit on his skill and knowledge of machinery in general. Having examined the motive power question, a return will now be made to that of the process of the manufacture of woollen goods. In the first place, delivery of the wool from auction sales, stations, or farms is taken at' the long wool shed, where it is passed and accepted. Bales are then unpacked and sorted with care by expert sorters, who pick out the various '"sorfe" on the table* before them from each fleece, and. place the same into convenient bins for special pnrposes. Four "sorts" are usually made, and a fifth (if it may be included) of the "moiety," or sticks, rubbish, and the pieces of fleeoe which bear tar brands. The sorts made are Nos. 1 and 2 for blanketing, and Nob. 1 and 2 flanneling. Merino wool is chiefly used in the manufacture of tweeds, cricketing flannel, and fine flannel. Crossbred wool is emplojed in the making of blankets and coarse fabrics. Two qualities of blankets are regularly sold, and five different makes of flannel, for each of which the fleeces have to be selected into "sorts," either on account of fineness, or because of a preference for coarseness. Although there is plenty of wool procurable for the making of strictly worsted goods, which it is intended at a future time to include in the lines manufactured, this is only at present employed in worsted yarns. Blankets are made from the longer crossbred wool, but it is not as a rule that length of staple is acceptable, as the manager does not always care to see very long wool, teeing it is more troublesome to deal with than any other kind. In this shed there was a large stock of all kinds of wool, including some from"Ba ba, black sheep," and a quantity of fine merino, dyed to be"used in tweedmaking. Of course toe black wool, of which over lOOOlbs has been used up, and of which there ie,a fair supply, is not artificially treated,: because this naturally-colored pro- , diction, it may be safely asserted, i* a fast, unfading color when imported into the fabrics to be noticed by and by. From thie shed the wool is taken to be washed, which duty devolves upon Jade with barrows, but it returns again to be plok*d, that is, the motes and sticks taken out, for if left in it such materials as the latter injure the cards on the machines, to 1 - be feferred to further on: In course of time the refuse picked out may be chemically dealt with to destroy the stibks and dirt, ao that present waste may be used op, but the tar seems to resist all attempts to take it from the wool, and branded wool is at present valueless. It is to be Loped, the manager thinks, that those -who brand sheep will take a note of these lines, and adopt some other plan of marking sheep for identification, without going to the expense of destroying large patches of wool on valuable fieeoee with tar branding. Crossing the grass to the principal building, and entering by the north door, the visitors noticed a portable steam engine in full play. This affords the motive power for the patent ■conring machine inside. In the scouring and dying room, which is floored with cement and lattice boards, the wool is first steeped in a huge trough containing hot water andalkalies. or soap; The soap is of a special make, bears the anchor brand, and is supplied in casks by the Bew Zealand Provision Company. Previous to use the soap U dissolved in an iron tank on another part of the premises. If the wool is intended to be dyed alkali alone is used, as the grease in soap renders the dye ineffectual. After thoroughly soaking, the wool is transferred- to the scouring machine—one pi liesche's, of Bocbdale —in the trough o£: which, by a series of pronged forks, it is dashsd aad washed about till, finally reaching the opposite end to that in which it came in, if is by one eefc of rakee lifted, and by another «et placed between the rollers oLthe wringer. Thus it passes through a constant stream of pure water pumped from the Cam into a tank overhead. The upper of the wrinjer rollers is,covered with felt, the linr«r one ,b#*; of plain steel. Passing these, tie wool is blown out perfectly clean and nearly dry in a shower similar to falling of enow flakes. Oa Tuesday, a lot of lambs' wool was beibg washed for a special order of blankets. For many purposes it eoflicee to pat the wool through thie eeonrer once, but for finer goods the wool nsnally bar to submit to _ the Operation a" , fecond time. Tbe xnefdais awarded by the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association were taken by the Kaiepoi Company with Bale* of wool washed by this machine a second time. * All who saw those samples remarked them for the parity of their -wtiiteness and brightness of theu? lustre. Bearing this Too'mrtfae "wool is taken in large barrows to the drying ground. Here it is spread on rough canvas sheeting, in which it can be folded at night if not sufii-. ciently dry,' and tpregd again next day, or* gathered up in case of a strong wind coming on. If the wool it, however, intended to be dyed it. is placed in one of the dye tanks, wbach are placed hard by. Two wooden a«4 three "iron receptacles are employed fortbii purpose, the former being mcd ioi-djm which would be injuriously affected by the action of the iron. The wool i* here immersed in the dye liquor. A light blue, in which indigo ie employed, violet and black were the colors in requisition, the first-named being Introduced into a twiated yara.foe fancy shirting. It is proposed so soon as the-t-iperieccei dyer, who is on bis way from England, reaches here, to,

ob'ain » proper plant, including large topper tank, and tnow in we are only temporarily employed. Not only is the drying of ■wool carried on in the op«o air but also in a chamber (30ft I 30ft) above the boiler house. About 20ft. square of this room if covered ■with earthenware tile* specially made for the purpose by Austin and Kirk, which are heated from the boiler* below them. Aii a further., auxiliary there is in this chamber also a patent drying machine. This is shaped like a large inclined table, with sides eloping both way*, affording & superficial surface of about 24ft. x 25ft.. This ie covered with gauee wire in moveable pieces on frames, and under it is placed twelve steam, pipes along each side. Below the pipes is a revolving fan, which when in motion sends the heat from the pipes through the damp wool spread on the netting. Some idea of tbe heat here may hare been experienced by those who have spent an interval in the perspiring room of the Turkish bath. The perforated tiles alluded to answer very well, being less costly than iron, and more suitable for the purpose. The wool having been thus dried is next found to have been conveyed to tbe lower floor of the new building. Here it is placed by the lads who Iβok after the drying in charge of the person who has the custody of the most formidable of all the engines, viz,, the Cockspur or Teazer, otherwise, known among the employes as the " devil." Om the floor of this room, which has an area of 108 ft. x 56ft., and the ceiling is carried up 15 ft, there is at the entrance the manager's office, Bβ constructed as to be moveable to any other place should the space become more valuable. Then the following schedule of machines take up the - rest -of the-space, i namely, about twelve "large looms, not yet erected, an improved double-action burring machine and cleaning machine, the devil, and three sets of soribbling and condensing engines. The latter is the same number of sets aa employed in the Moegiel factory of Otago. Between each machine is hung a canvas sheeting, which, when different colours of wool are being carded, prevent the hairs from either mixing, as a coloured wool, if this precaution was pot adopted, might spoil the sample of a white wool on the next engine. The burring or moting machine is not in nee, and hardly likely to be applied to the purpose for which it is iatended for some time: to come. It is made by Sykes and Sons, Hudderefield, and invented for the purpose of taking the bum out of wool. No doubt, this machine would deal very faithfully with the Port Phillip wools in this respect, but the manager has hie fears that it will not prove successful in extracting thistle and goree spines from the fleeces here. To return to the devil, this implement much resembles a winnowing machine, except that in place of the fans of the latter the former has a cyliader 46in. diameter, armed with teeth like those on the drum of a musical box, only in this case 2£in. in length. A smaller roller stands in front, and from a brattice board or endless travelling table, takes in the wool on similar spikes. This passes it to the cylinder, which revolves at a very high rate of speed. Aβ this drum revolves with the wool upon it, the latter i> subjected to the action of five rollers on the top and four strippers, which latter, fitted with finer combs than the rollers, return the wool which escapes a proper, teasing to the cylinder again, in order that; that operation may be efficiently carried out. : Having been dealt with by thu process, through the action of the teaser, which is intended te open the " tips " as the close ends of the wool are termed, it falls on to another endless table, whence, by the blast from the Telocity of a fan, it is showered out underneath the table at which it was first put into : the engine. It is removed from this operation to the custody of a girl of sixteen summers, to be manipulated on by the scribbling- engine and condenser. - The former consists of two large drams armed with' finer spikes than those of the "deviL" This' ha* a breast roller, twd "doffere," ten "workers," or rollers, and thirteen " etrippere." By means of a travelling brattice board, the wool is brought slowly up to the breast roller, which pasees it ' to the drum, and the scribbler is kept em- : ployed in a manner .similar to that of the teaser, with the exception that in this instance the quantity .supplied is carefully regulated. The maiden in charge, to her right hand, has a scale upon which, according \ to the weight of the threads finally to be spun out, everything depends. She having weighed the quantity wanted, proceeds to lay it along the travelling table as evenly ae s possible between certain marks. In the' throes of the scribbling engine, the fibre is evenly and thoroughly separated, well mixed also, but not laid out as in combing. The i rollers are covered with what is termed •' card " clothing. 'The foundation of this is either leather or felt, and the comb upon itis formed of very fine steel wire. In a square; inch of some of this card clothing on the scribble, .about 200 points were counted, every• one being about f the of an inch long, so set as to thoroughly: catch each hair of the wool in its passage. To further ensure the certainty of this operation, the points of the, wire bristles on the card ate sharp pointed, with, diamond points. In order to sharpen the card on the rollers, they are, as necessity requires it, taken from the machine, then put in a frame with an emery: roller to grind against, and both driven at a high speed, impart the necessary sharpness to the card, without which it would be worse than useless. The object of all this carding and action of the million of- card points i» to bring out the wool hairs so perfectly straight as to allow of no imperfections or inequalities in" the making of yarn," which will in its turn be referred to. So quickly do the rollers of thm ; machine revolve that it is almost impossible to realise the fact that there are several pounds' weight of. "wool upon them, while the fibre is - so brushed into' the card cloth that it seemslikewise an uncertainty that it will ever again be extracted in a etete fit for manufacturing purposes. The wool once pait the breast rollers paeees on to a pair covered with card thence 'to a "doffer*' 30in. in diameter;'and onward to tbe main .cylinders, 53in. in diameter. Above and around these cylinders' revolve smaller rollers, distant only from each other by so small a space es tbe fiftieth part of an inch, coated with carding, which open out the wool. The scribbler has two "fancy" rollers which, clothed with a particular make of cloth, act as a brush in keeping the main cylinder clear. As the fibre emerges in a sheet from the scribbler on the last "doffer," a comb performs by a jerky motion, the act of throwing it off. It falls upon three revolving tins of a fanne' shape and passing through a fnnnel at the end of the engine it is slightly twisted into an inch rope. By an ingenious contrivance with pulley wheels, this cord of wool is carried overhead, and brought down again to the next machine —the condenser. The laetoaoied engine stands within three feet of that first described. The wool-rope enters it at about the same level as that at which it left the scribbling machine. | It is taken by a self-feeder, patented by Apperley and Glisold, Dudbridge, and laid diagonally upon an endless traveUiag table formed of bands of cotton web. The regularity with which this feeder works is very noticeable. It traverses across a bar slightly above the webbing, and in its progress pays out or lays the wool, its arrival at either end adjusting it for the return trip. By means of stripe of card cloth at the edges of the travelling belt, the rope is held in regular diagonalltnes till brought into contact with the breast roller of the condensing engine. This then takes change in a like manner to the initiating rollers of the teaser. The wool is immediately passed on to finer carding than that of the former engine, which proceed to separate the rope into straight fibres again, and each lime opes* out the hair, more thoroughly.. The condenser has only one cylinder, six rollers in addition to the " breast," eight strippers and two doffere. - The rollers;it may hers be pointed out, lay the fibres out, and the etrippere clear the rollers, for another supply. The wool, should the machine be sudaerijy stopped, is seen to be a perfect sheet. 3?huF, : the carding operation being accomplished, ft w requisite to divide. ' In, jjhe performance of tte dj.vi*ioib. of the wobfiheet into a sufficient quantity to form the threads b| y»rn,7 there are two 14in. dpffers, srbJch are covered: with fcweßtjr-one card rings at tervals of aboufcfliiifc !Eb»e ring* where the sheet meete the doff era forms a" eomfiletely carded roller; but immediately; it is rifled Muss l * '^Ivßion^'sa ' i'iefi j narrow t$ ■forfn

one yarn. There are thus forty-two strips ; which are passed into two leather rubbers. : The rubbers are formed by two endless pieces of hide, containing two sets of email rolleri, the latter performing a revolving as well «* » lateral motion. The strips are by these motions drawn and rubbed into the form of slender threads, sufficiently strong oiily to be kept together till fairly spun into yarn on the mules.; The threads are taken off on four buge bobbins each holding ten yarns. One yarn at each side of the machine is allowed to run on a waste bobbin, as they are cot always so perfect as required, and are put into the engine again. The scribbler and condenser work together in unison without any attention being required except oiling, adjusting, the wool put in properly, and removed. There) is a scribbler and carding machine of the same kind as. that described, which waa running on Tuesday with brown wool.. The third set of these useful machines is larger in size, and has been improved in construction by Mr Caleb Lusty, who has charge of this department. The scribbler of this larger maobine has one breast ; roller, ten workers, two cylinders, three fancy rollers, three doffers, and thirteen strippers. The addition of rollers, which give about 45ft additional carding .surface, is one improvement, and another has been to adjust the rollers to perform the work of opening the wool very completely. It is computed that in one of these machines the wool has to pass over between 300 ft and 400 ft of card. The condenser of the latter set gives off sixty complete yarns, and the two waste ones already alluded to in the other maehinei. Following the process, the next is that of spinning the loofe yarn given off by the condensers for the purposes of weaving. Ascent is made to the upper floor, which has a like area to that of the lower, the roof springing from the wall plates at 12ft. from the floor. To facilitate the work, of bringing up the bobbios and taking away the full pirns a hoist will be put in at the place made for it, but which was not quite finished in time for tke opening. Up here the self-acting mules were in full operation, and really appeared- to the onlookers to be the most interesting of all the agencies in the manufactory. The large bobbins with the loose yarns are placed along a stand, the ends of the yarns are pasted through wire guides, next beneath email steel rollers, thence drawn to their proper oops or pirns upon pins of the travelling carriage. The pirns or spools upon "which the yarn is wound as it is twisted stand in a row along this, and the carriage in form resembles a light long box, which is 36ft. in length. Two of these carriages form one mule, and there are two sets of mules now in constant work. Each portion will contain 360 spindles, on which the pirns are put, or a total of 1440 spindles. The yarn has a second small roller laid upon it near the spindle, and now the machine starts ■ its ■ course partly across the room on a railway extending sixty-six inches. During the progress of each carriage drawing out its 360 threads, the first little roller lifts and allows the yarn to pass till half the distance is traversed, it. then falls, and the yarn is "drawn" during the rest of the distance. In the operation of running out the spindles rotate, the thread is twitted, and having been "laid" sufficiently the carriage returns. Jn the act of returning the pirns are made to wind vp r the length of yarn last twisted. The operation; is then repeated. The number of forward wheels and counter-wheels which give the motion to this machine are very intricate, but'the whole workwith the uniformity of clock work, At any moment the attendants, who stand by to splice broken threads and see. that all goes right, by simply touching a lever can stop the, mules at an instant. The forward And backward movement'of the maobinery is obtained from the driving belts, which fall at the proper moment on to a second wheel. The threads for the warp of the-goods—-that is the yarn across the fabric has more twist given to it than that for the' wefti, because it would be dear to all that in the operation of weaving there is greater stress on the yarn in the shuttle of the looms, as well as in the, subsequent; finishing... ■, The yarns upon tbe spools, now spun to a length of from; :50ft. .to 150 ft. as required, are conveyed in baskets to the warping mill, or placed alongside the "looms. It the yarns have to.be again twisted to make a mixed thread, the same are placed on the pirns in a row on pins npona Sykes and Sons' twister. This is also an ingenious maoEine. If a Black and white yarn is required, a.row of pins is filled with fifty black yarns and another with fifty of white; a black and a white yarn are next passed to a lower pirn or spool through a guide wire and a ringthat encircles the latter spool; by which the twisting and winding on' the spool is effected with surprising accuracy. The present machine is s«d to be a small one, but* it is capable of enlargement, which will; soon be urgently, required. The twister was on Tuesday making a.whitey-brown yarn for a Barinookburn tweeding. It was in charge of a roey-cheeked girl, who had only a few days' practice, but could manage it pretty ekilfnlljT In this upper department, there were other machines assisting the work in progrees—a hank winder, &0., which it is not necessary to stay to describe. In reference to the manufacture of pirns, which are spools or pear-shaped bobbins it may be stated that the cost per; gross in the home country is leas., than a farthing each, while a small supply from Dunedin cost the company about threepence apiece. Descending to the lower room again, the wool which has been sorted, ecaured, dried, dyed, teased,; carded, and spun has arrived at the warping mill. The object of this mill ie>to wind the yarn evenly to be unwound on the beams "for the looms. The latter work being denominated "beaming." The, warping and beaming is proceeded with in the first erected part of the factory, and in close proximity to the looms.' . Here ■Mr W. Campbell, one of the hands who came out with the party of wenvera to work the concern in the fiut instance, is in charge. There are two warping mills, and one description applies to bath. The mill is a revolving wooden lattice cylinder: 6ft in.diameter and 14ft in length; ft is wide enough to take on the'warpfot. three widths of flannel at the same time; The pirns Of yarn brought from upstairs are placed on a stand on, upright pins ready for the unwinding. ' The., ends of about 150 or 200 yards are passed through wire guides, thence through a travelling "heck " or "slay," which travels athwart the mill, then attached to the cylinder. The latter is put into motion. It slowly revolves, and the yarns are laid on to two girls being in charge to piece broken yarns and replace the empty pirns t By means of two small registering wheels at the axle of the mill,:which determine the, Bumber of its evolutions, directly the re-. quired length of warp is on the mill a catch falia into a notch on the wheel and causes a bell -to ring—the signal for another warp. To .place,the warp on the beam for the loom simply means putting it into a frame in front of the mill and winding it on to the beaW Aβ the beams are.fiUeel they Remain in. a rack till required by the weavers. In mfllsr where the warp requires' Biztng, that is the next process, but here thas has been given up. Sizing is required, where fche.flbreof t)xe warp is short, and has, a teadeacy to break. The. •using mill at the opposite end of the building is therefore sot at present called into requisition. Were it wanted, the warp would be taken from the mill in hanks and treated to a wash in ammonia, sod then sized with as extract of boiled pelts. The hanks are wrung dry, and the warp dried oh an irop reel corresponding in Sβ diameter to the warping cylinder, within which revolving fans send through a stream of heated air, the reel revolving in a direction opposite to that of the fans. The -sizing might be of service if the company had a "tender mill" for the grinding op of old cloth and -worn out woollen fabrics. Standing along the nerfchS side of this room are ten'• plain ldomtj viz.; those first erected; Theetf were engaged in the maMng of bMkefai flannele; and plaidiiig. The beams refferred to<"ue placed on. a level with the shuttle,; and as . everyone almojt is conversant with the work? ing of a loom, it ia seediest to stay to dcccn.be the tnodia operandi. ■ On the otbe* side of the loom ore erected fines/ plain and fire box looms. The latter are so devised that- different shuttles can be: brought into play alternately in the making : of goods containing a pattern. There is_& total of twentyfire and x \m box loom* ■>■& tJwnWorks, of which many of the former will not be wanted for-tome yean. /Thwa recent importations b«?*been erected :by-Mr Sohofield, aad tiey

are of a very superior mate, by Kirk, of Hudderefield. The plain looms Mβ from Leaoh'a, of Bochdale. The plain looms are applied to the making of blankets, flannels, and ordinary tweeds, while the patent box looms can be applied to any kind of work, *nd are admirably suited for plaidicg, of til ish material a large quantity is purchased for gent'e underclothing. All the goods, after they leave the looms, have to be finished, which includes washing, milling, drying, raising, or cutting. An apartment has been made off the wearing room, in which, on a concrete, floor, stand all the' wet machines. The first of these is the washer, which comprises a large box resembling a combine, with two large rollers, over and between which the webs of flannel joined to form an endless piece are pasted, being drawn from and re- j turning to the soap and water at the bottom, j The rollers move at a quick speed, and per- ' form their duty without injury to the goods, which are. cleaned to a marked degree. On removal from the washer the blankets and tweeds are milled or felted in another similar machine to the washer. The webs are put into soap and passed over rollers heated by friction to cause the fabrics to shrink and become firm. Aβ: they are quite enclosed during this operation, it would be impossible to gee if anything went, wrong in the pasiage of the webs over the rollers. To obviate any accident, a patented invention has been resorted to. The cloth passes through two holes in it* progress, and, in case of a sudden stoppage, it.catches the.lower one, which lifts a slide, and, acting upon a lever, at once disconnects the driving belt from

the pulley, when the • milling' , , machine remains stationary till it can be attended to. This simple method was patented by a youth named Bramley, son of a manufacturer, who enjoys a large royalty from' several leading manufactories for his patent. It ought to have been stated that the blankets are made in webs of ten; and are, after the drying process, separated into pain. The colored headings of the blanket!, about which tome were curious, is simply made by the introduction of a given number of colored weft threads when in the loom, in the course of weaving.■ • From washer-and milling machines the webs are put through a pair of double narrow brass rollers as a wringer to expedite drjing. This formof wringer is preferred to the nee of the hydro extraotor. The webs are subsequently taken 'outside and stretched on frames filled with tenter hooks. The framee are 14ft. in in height, and in four lengths of 52ft. each length. From the drying frames the webs return to the Rising department. The raising gig is * cylinder 14ft. in width and of a diameter of sft. In front of this the web is passed by rollers and is lightly brushed by the face of the cylinder. The 'latter is an iron frame into which are inserted teasles, a vegetatable product resembling thietle burrs, but armed with larger spines. The action of this cylinder is to raise the nap or flossy covering which renders a blanket soft and coey. After this the ends of the blankets are bound with ecarlet worsted. . . ... .

In the store-room the' tweeds are looked over, and " or spots of raised (breads, are deftly picked off them by women with tweezers. This, is termed "burling," being done for the purpose of assisting the progress of the cloth through the cutting; machine, for if the swats were loft a bole probably would be cut in the cloth on .account of the close cutting of the knife. The cutting maohine is simply a roller over which works an Archimedian knife with four blades. It is set close to the cloth, and in the passage of the latter between the roller and the knife the "nap" is cut short and to an equal length. In the finishing room the goods are folded, pressed in a screw press, folded in pepsrs, marked, ticketed, and otherwise rendered attractive for sale. The companyTefuse to deal with any but merchants, and great was the disappointment to many, who were so much taken up with the samples shown on Tuesday that they woljld have Tidßight out twice the stock of blankets, in anticipation of a cold winter. The it may bo noted, has just finished a considerable order for the Gaol and Hospital. . A system of management has been introduced which co far has proved satisfactory to employer and employed in the payment for the work done: As much, work as can-be so let is given out by tbe •piece. When in fall work twenty weavers mil be engaged, or a total of. .between sixty' and seventy men, women, boye and girls. The men and wearers getjpaid by the 'V oufc,?'i which,work is equal to making tan pairs of blankets. A " out" is made in it little over two days.' Women's wages range from 20s to 26s per week ; girls begin at 10*y and go up to 15s ; boys are not so valuable as girls, and there is less trouble in getting them, their wages'range at 'about 12s a week.. .The girls as s rule are more dexterous with their fingers, which isa matter of great importance in work such ac piecing, lien who, used; to earn 50s a week make a larger . aum on ; piece; work, and longer diya, often seven days a week. Sabbatarians need not stand aghast at this statement, as the Sabbath is very strictly - ob- > »eyendays : eenredibuttbe : mean seven working day?. The comfdrt'of*the ; employes is carefully looked after in respect to well "ventilated roams, and in winter warmth is imparted by het water pipes laid, along the .floors. So well also have, the maohinee been looked after?; and anything like skylarking: put .down, thai not a single .machinery aocident has. hap-, pened during the time the- present manager : has been in charge.' _ | , A number qf improvements are intended, amongst others will be the erection of a large warehouse, as the company is now compelled :to keep. mogfc of the stock iin a store at an ; inconvenient? dietanco from the factory. 1 ?** c° m put«d that upwards of a thousand 'persons passed" through the factory during ! the time at which it was ppen between 10 a.nj., ' and, '£ psmVifpr inspection. - Atrionget.those, (were many practicallyacquainted with the i quality of the made: Every courtesy iras extendedby the en'areholders and the manager in explaining the stages of manuand the* result * Bete at the jbanquet, when the names of any.pf these gentlemen were mentioned they were cheered jto the echo. At 9*p,m. the luncheon was held 1 !in the Oddfellows' Hall, seats being provided for two hundred and eighty. The spread was iprovidedby Mr 4 Burnip from the adjoining hoteljand laid in very good style. The.ohair was occupied by Mr Isaac Wilson, chairman 'of directors, the vice chairs by the Mayor (Mr G. H. Blackwell), and the:. Hon, J. T. PeV icock. The chairman was supported by Meecw O. O. Bowen and M.H.K.'b. About an equal number of ladies and gentlemen were present. Grace was said: by Bey. J. Armitage. ~ ; , j • ~.;: j On the champagne being produced, 'the iOhairman gave the. toasts of '{TfcaiQneen," I" The Prince of Wales'and Epyal Family," iand " The Governor." '

; The Chairmen, irt proposing the fcoasfc of J" The General Assembly, said Iβ wished to depart from the usual rule of avoiding politics, for there was a matter of politics wbioh materially affected their interests, yiz ;, that of protection, upon which ,he , wished to lay one word. There was atpresejifc & duty of 11 per tendon all woollen good c imported, and he desired to point out that if that was removed inch factories as theirs might shut up j therefore, for the benefit vt 4hew indaitriee the dvAy ought to be always maintained. [" No."] Some gentleman said "No " He need to eaj *';No" once—paagfater]—but now it wal plain erery time he went into, the factory that there was some freah industry which allied twith theirs needed this protection. > [Hear, hear.] The rate of wages in England wal lower thaa in New Zealand, *nd without this iduty the imported goods could push the home made oafc of the field. In giving the toasb, coupled with the name of Mr C. C. r-£cheer»]-—-he Jaruated the members of the Assembly wonld see a way to keep up the

protective duties. ' The toa»t having teen honored with'tbtee times three, Mr Bowen, who w&* loudly applauded, re* plied bj laying he choroid have teen sorry to hare trenched on political eoßjecl* bub for the-ch&Ueage put forth by the chairman, ac<s he. innifc be permitted to Ji*y something abont these protective duties. [Hear, hear} in the firefc place, he hc4 ta thask tho«e oa behalf of the General 'Assembly, for thjg hearty manner with which the toast had been reoeiyed, and in the second instance for,the way in which-hi* nim» had been joined to it. There 'iru so 4isgtdsing iHe fact tia£ the exiifteg under which they lired

were on their trial, and they bad jet to see them more adapted for their requirements in the promotion of good government. In this 0 ire had to be taken to avoid the danger and difficulties which, beset the propositions for chinge, and hasty legislation was to be guarded against. Before saying one word on the burning , question of free trade t protection, they had in the working of representative institutions to consider two 'questions—namely, the tendency to raise a party cry where no party existed, acd in the next to avoid tying the hands of their members, making them mere delegates. The first referred to efforts made to turn persons away from those members who were actuated in their work by the best motives to benefit the State, while tying the hands of members was to fall into a system which was being so much, resented in England, in the efforts being made to form caucuses of delegates. If this course was followed here, they would be doing their utmost to drive away the best men—those who were independent in their views, and only retain such as those whom, at no distant date, they might not be very proud of. [Cheers.} He felt at liberty to make these remarks, beoause, as their representative for fire years, he had never been fettered, restrained, bounoed, or dictated to by his constituent!. [Hear, hear. J On which account he felt his duties were rather pleasurable, and they might rely on it he enjoyed his position when ne saw some of t&e letters and telegrams cent by indignant electors to certain members, and sympathised with the manner in which these indigrant epietlea were pocketed. While he. admired the energy shown in the. formation of the industries of the district, and the desire to make a handsome return on capital invested, he muet say frankly he was a downright free-trader. [Oheere j If; was true there was a duty, but not put on as a protection duty, but simply for revenue purposes. Hβ should resist any interfering with the revenue-laws without just reason, but if the duty could be done without, by all means it should be relieved. [Cheers.] It was perhaps a difficult thing to start a.particular industry when they knew that the industry was dependent for its success on a duty which might be to the injury of others. [Hear.] For supposing the advocates for protection could put up the duty to even 20 per cent., it would not be fair to the rest of the community that it should be taxed for the benefit of one particular article. [Cheers.] The Chairman said he had been converted very lately. Well, when a gentleman becomes a shareholder in a lucrative concern, his views may become warped—be different to those which he previously held. [Hear, hear.] No more need be added, hut he appealed to those present to consider that he had been challenged, and in conclusion he hoped that men would be sent up to the Assembly who, without giving any preference in this way, would do their duty in the interests of the colony as a whole. [Loud cheers.] i ; Hon. J. T. Peacock, although a shareholder of the company, endorsed Mr Bowen'e views of free trade [cheers], and on behalf of the Upper House thanked the oompany for the confidence reposed in that body. .: Mr John Ollivier, in a happy speech, gave the toast of the " Xiooal Governing Bodies," coupled with the names of the Mayors of Lvttelton and Bangiora, and Chairman of the Mandeville Boad Board.

Mr H. Blackett expressed Mβ pleasure at having inspected the factory, which he suggested might be economically worked by water power, and without the protective duty the company could manufacture at a profit of 20 per cent, over the cost of imported goods. Captain Parsons, in a short speeoh, returned thanks. ■; •

Mr H. Allwright said he tai never dreamt there was euch a good thing in\Kaiapoi, and he would have great pleasure in recommending the manufactures.

Mr Bowen gave the toast of "The Commercial interests," noticing that there was no ehoddy about the factory, and regretting that the colony at this period should suffer-from a commercial depression. ■ Mr 0. W. Turner, -whose name wa» coupled with the toaet, referred to the important commercial relations between the colonies, and important centres in the world. Last season £150,000 went from Canterbury for American labor-saving: machinery. They were now sending away produce at the rate of one large ship per week from Lyttelton. ■~::> Mr W. Montgomery gave the toaet of the "Kaiapoi Woollen Company,'* coupled with the name ■of the chairman of directors. While not entering cnthe debatable question of fprotection, ■he saw that the 11 per cent, duty would ; enable the factory to make a profit. It hadgaSned the day for Canada and G-ermaßy, -while-America could -now compete with Manchester iii cotton goods. Their chairman wae a most"'intelligent, honest, ujjrijjfht inaiij pjoud oheersiT- *\They all wished him; a cafe voyage ,to Erjgtand, an<i a'speedy return, i, .',- : '', ,'" .\ .''-.'■ : \, ;;'.';

Mr Wilson replieol by expressing his sat i»faction with the prospects of the company, and the firm determination on bis pari to make nothing but the best articles. [Cheers.] .Mr J- Bea wick proposed the toast of " The : Agricultural Interests," coupled- with the names of Messrs W. Norman and J. McFarl»ne,Jthe.riß'mejtbf Jwhom responded. Mr E. Parnham proposed " The Insurance Companies," -which was pithily acknowledged by Mr J. D. Macpherson (Bouth British), who said he had found this a profitable field from the" scarcity of fires. [Cheers.] ' son J. 5?, Peacock gave the toasfc'of "Our mauagei, Mi James-Wood," which, was' received with rounds of applause. Mr Wood explained that he came to Nelson for the benefit of hie health, and subsequently took charge of. thie . factory s which he hoped* to see successful in every sense of the' word. Hβ found his worfcbaen very Willing to assist, and they got along on splendid terms. The remaining toasts were "The Press," ;"Tho Ladies, ,,, and " The Chairman," the compaoj separating in time for the train. .