MESSRS THOMSON AND CO.'S CORDIAL WORKS.

OPEN FOR INSPECTION. One of the chief attractions for visitors to the city yesterday was Messrs Thomson and Co.'s cordial works, it having been previously announced that anyone desiring to see the firm's plant in operation would have the opportunity to do so during show week. Shortly after mid-dav large numbers of people wended tlieir way to Thomson and Co. s bottling works in Crawford street, and were afforded an opportunity of seeing the different forms of machinery at work. Messrs G. and J. Thomson, two of the principal members of the firm, went from one machine to another, explaining the working of each section of the plant. A piece of machinery which was of more than ordinary interest was a large recently installod contrivance used for thoroughly washing out bottles. This machine contains many parts each of which has its special mission, which it carries out most effectively. A large number of bottles are placed at one side of the machine, washed with caustic soda water, and then carried in rotation, ou Something resembling the endless chain principle, into 'various other compartments, in each of which they receive a thorough cleansing, until they are .finally discharged into a fair-sized receptacle containing water, where a man kept solely for the purpose examines each bottle, and any having the slightest flaw is discarded. The sound bottles aTe placed in iron eups affixed to a revolving " conveyer," which carries them to the machines from which they are to be filled. Each of these latter is fitted with the apparatus for affixing the patent crown cork seal, and as the bottles are filled they are sealed, the whole business being the work of little more than a second. This greatly interested the spectators, who were shown everything there was to be seen about each machine.

Another interesting contrivance -was the labelling and numbering machine. This machine affixes two labels, one of 'which contains a number on the side nearest the bottle. The reason for this is that should a brew of any kind unexpectedly be not up to the usual standard, the firm are ajble to tell exactly how many bottles were issued, and, 'further, to tell the bottles from the number under the label. Messrs Thomson and Co. haive only one German-made machine in their premises, and this, since the war began, has been replaced by an exactly similar machine made by Messrs CossenS and Black, of Dunedin. It is a revolving labelling machine, and is usod for placing labels on ginger ale and other similar bottles. The firm has left nothing to chance, nor does it work in ignorance of the exact cost of working' each machine, which has its own little motor. There are contrivances which enable one to see at a glance if anything is interfering with the smooth running of the machinery, and a register is affixed showing the total amount of electricity used j n running each machine. In every detail Messrs Thomson and Co. have brought their plant np to the highest state of efficiency, and the visitors who were shown over the premises yesterday were surprised at the magnitude of the plant. They (the firm) ha-ve also a very up-to-date machine for analysing every particle of material used in the various brands of drinks manufactured on the premises. Visitors will be shown over the factory to-day and to-morrow.