Local Industries.

Otago Witness, Issue 1501, 21 August 1880, Page 11

Local Industries.

THE MILTON POTTERY WORKS.

We have had an opportunity (says the Bruce Herald) of inspecting the whiteware recently made at the Milton Pottery, some of which it is intended to send to the Melbourne Exhibition, The sample is at present in the state known as " biscuit," out it looks remarkably well. We also inspected a quantity of ware of the same description which has been made bo the order of the Union Steam Ship Company. This ware has the Company's flag on it, and looks exceedingly well. We understand that it will be equal, if not superior, to the imported article after it has been glazed. There is a huge teapot of elegant shape, with a fuschia pattern in high relief upon it, which is po be sent to Melbourne; this utensil will Ihold '

about five gallons of liquid ; It bears the name of the firm and the pottery in blue letters, on each side, and on the front behind the spout there is a well-formed coat of arms, with the legend "Advance Australia" on the ribbon under it, and the additional words, " Let New Zealand flourish," underneath. The pot will be finished in gold bronze } it stands about 20 inches high. The other articles destined for Melbourne are of the usual description of china and earthenware goods : noticeable amongst them are several lavatory baeins, of new design and latest improvements ; one is intended to fit into a corner, and has iDlet, outlet, and overflow tubes, which are so well arranged as lead the beholder to think that two of the tubes are not there, they are arranged bo ingeniously, and hidden by a soap-holder. The pattern adopted for these articles is white marble with blue veins. There is also a lot of door-knobs, and door finger-plates, of variouß sizes and patterns, made of the natural clay ; these will show nearly every known colour of the district— an admixture of many colours in one piece. The effect is very good, especially in those that show maple, oak, ebony, &c. It is intended to pack up aDd send off the Melbourne goods to-morrow (Wednesday), hut we believe they may be Been at the works in the afternoon before they are packed. Every imaginable article necessary for household and shipping use, from the largest to the smallest, is now being turned out at this factory. The hands are working overtime the whole week round, and sometimes work all night. Mr Henderson, the manager, speaks in the highest terms of the clay : he says it cannot be beaten anywhere, and the supply is practically inexhaustible. Everything in the place is made and finished with material found close to Milton ; even the stuff for glazing, and the bones for whitening the ware, can be had afc band. In this respect the Milton Pottery is more fortunately localised than any other we know of. The pottery is not even yet in anything'like full swing, but kiln after kiln is being burnt, and every necessary step taken to push things on. As we said in a former issue, we have no doubt whatever about the ultimate success of this plucky enterprise.