MANAWATU RAILWAY COMPANY.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 71, 21 September 1905, Page 6

MANAWATU RAILWAY COMPANY.

CARRIAGE CONSTRUCTION \ND REPAIRS. A run .through the -ipairs and maintenance shops of the Wellington-Mana-watu Railway Company throws 6ome light on now much ■wotk there io to do in connection with a railway company that is anpioue to keep itself up to date. At the present time three locomotives are in for repairs, and into one of them a new boileT, imported from the American makers, is being fitted. A valuable addition to the plant \in the new postion of the repair shop) is two overhead 'traversing cranes. A new high-speed automatic American ilathe is to be installed alongside the Scotch plain high-speed lathe now m operation. The special steel now being turned out (since about four years ago) can be cut on the lathe at much higher speed than the old steel, and requires no lubricant. The carriage and wagon building shops present a busy appearance. The company has for a long time constructed its own wagons, and during the last twelve or eighteen months it nas been building its own carriages, and will probably not import any more. It ha 6 turned out an excellent type of 'second-class carriage — Nos. 42 to 46, inclusive, are samples — which in running has proved both roomy and comfortable. They are 50ft long, built in three flooTB — two top floors and a deadening floor — and the inside is finished in oak ; some are upholstered in leather, 6ome in rattan, and they aro as comfortable second-class carriages as could be wished. The body of another of these carriages is now being laid in the workshops. At the same time men are working on the bodies of two insulated wagons for cool storage, especially for butter ; and on the lady or a goods van, 40ft long, one of half-a-doezn similar vans, mot>t of which are now Tunning. A sidelight on the cost of maintenance to an up-to-date company is afforded by a glance into the shed \Vhere carriages are repaired and Tepainted. For a carriage in considerable use, Tepainting should— and does — take place at least once a year, perhaps twice. Here you will see a couple of the old original cars, twenty-one years old, revarnished and looking like new, also good and sound. A locomotive dating from 1888, Consolidation type, 16 also looking in good condition. The company has had Baldwin engines of the four-cylinder compound type Tunning for ten years, and finds thorn very satisfactory.

Mrs. Harrison Lee gave a temperance address in Heginbotham's Hall, Kilbirnie, last evening. Mr. F." J. W. Fear presided. Mrs. Lee explained that she was appealing, not for the sake of the Newtown Electorate alone, but for the whole Empire of which we formed a part People did not realise the value of their votes. India, South Africa, Canada, all the British Empire, in fact, the whole world, was watching for the result of our votes. Mrs. Lee urged the abolition "of the traffic in liquor, on behalf of the children, the . women and mothers, and the drunkards themselves. It seemed to her that in closing the bars we were using our influence for the uplifting of others, and so were really doing Christ's work. The publicans under no-license would still have their houses .for accommodation, in proof of which the speaker instanced cases in Gore and Mataura. No-licenso was not an experiment, it was a proved good, as all must admit when they saw the prosperity of all classes under its influence. • In opening the Hutt Valley Horticul- 1 tural Society's Spring Show in the Pe- . tone Drill Hall yesterday afternoon, Lady Plunket congratulated the Secretary upon the success which had attended its efforts in spite of the inclement weather, and expressed admiration of the display made. The Royal Horticultural Society's bronze medals for collection of spring flowers (excluding narcissi) was won by Evans,', Son, and Dobbie, of Hill View Nursery, Taita, in the open class, and by Mr. G. A. Chapman in the amateur class. Dr. Perry, in carrying off Mr. Chapman's challenge gold medal for best collection of narcissi, also won the Royal Society's bronze medal for that class. The award for best decorated cycle fell to M. Evans. Last evening songs were given by Messrs. Mason, Rattnvy, and C. Zachariah, Mrs. Evans played pianoforte selections, and Mr. F. H. Evans contributed an English concertina item and some dances. Tho show will be open again this evening, nnd is well worth a visit. / Messrs. Macdonald, Wilson and Co. will Fell to-morrow, at 12 o'clock sharp, on the ground, No. 88, Cuba-streot (next door to Godber's), 250 sheets of galvanised iron, 3000 bricks, vinery 40ft long, lot totara and rimu timber, cloori, anslics, moulding!, and other lots ai detailed in tho advertisement appearing.