The Auckland Furniture Manufactory.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 247, 20 October 1886, Page 3

The Auckland Furniture Manufactory.

A yt.xjt in tho Auckland Furniture Factory in Stunloy-strcet impresses one with tho importanco of fostering such industries, and suggests tho necessity of buying Auckland-mado articles in preference to tho imported, as it is obviously bottor to keep artisans omployoJ in our midst than ull*\T such to leavo tho colony.

Tho abovo factory is situated in a very convenient position at tho corner of Stanley-street and Urafton Road, being on a level with Queen-street. The transport of material and goods is comparatively easy and cheap. Tho factory buildings cover an area of about one acre.

Tho chief working shop is about 106 x GO, fitted up with well-selected modern machinery of a powerful description with the most recent improvements and adaptation?, BCino of which aro probably not in use in any other establishment this side tho equator. Provision has also beon mixdb for almost unlimited extension of operation?, 93 the demand for colonial-made fiif nitjjre increases. With such aplendid machinery, and facilities for manufacturing furniture, and with unlimited supplies of material to hand f it is a pity that there havo beon so many skilled workmen of this class among tho unemployed in Auckland, who have beon positively unablo to get work ill this lino of businos?, while at the i same tima largo quantities of imported furniture havo been landed in Auckland, and citizens buying the same forgot that many of their fellow colonists would be grateful for an opportunity of oarning wages in making eueh. In this notice of the above factory a technical list of the various machines will not bo given, but moroly a brief sketch o{ operations generally, with rellection3 thereon. In starting to oxecuto an order for astute of furniture, tho timber ia taken from the capacious drying-sheds to the cut-off saw, and reduced to tho required sizes. The suiface-planor then prepares tho wood for the buzz planer attaehod to tho universal, which makes tho edges perfectly straight and square off the ends. By readjusting the universal, it next porforms the work of toiiguoing and grooving, rabbiting, and preparing the wood generally. Tho material thus proparad fo? the chairtnnking department i 3 forwarded thensß, and the rest to various other respective bronchos, to bo manipulated until every article ia completed, and the public subsequently coo in the Welloeloy-street show-rooms a first-class suits valued at more than a hundred guineas made frois. wood which would otherwise lie unused in the forest, or fall a prey to the eumdifger's ruthless fire ; and of no small importance is the fact that the execution of the work provides the much-desired labour for men who might othorwiso be among tho unemployed. . , When wo survey ,tho capacious drying sheds and considerthat those common-place looking boards in the racks can, in a short period of time, be passed through various workmen's bands, and finally emerge m the shape of elegant articlos of furniture, one cannot heip a feeling of admiration at the clever ingenuity of man, our valuable colonial timbers being vrarkod up with such skill by the artiaan as top jver Nature s productions with a eplendour which, though it is produced by artificial means, by the blending of woods and the glistening art o tho polisher, doubly enhances the Natural beauties of the feber as received from tho hands ot the Creator. Without such factories, the majeml *** cued from forest oblivion could yield little toward the general good whereas woiked up to ite present form by mans creative genius, it nprvntt many sovereigns paid for labour, and contributes its <l«°t» * l*° prosperity of the city. The dimcully in expanding this local class, of enterprise is ia dealing with tho question of ™p°i'teo. furniture, thrown on the market m such large quantities, and often sold regardless ° Tho furniture show-rooms and warehouses are situated in Wellesley-street. leople

passing along are struck with the excellent display of furnituro manufactured out of Now Zoaland woods, which are to be seen in the show-room on the ground floor, and are well worth inspection. Those who have not seen them can scarcely realise how tasteful and elaborate is tho work, and beautiful the effect of the judicious blending of various figured timbeiß. Many per sons being unawaro that our colonial woods aro bo well adaptod to the construction of Iho highest class of cabinet-makers' work, as well as suited to the production of tho stronger and less ornamental article required for goneral use.

Persons furnishing have favoured the English-mado furnituro more from the impression that euch is moro skilfully dosignod and constructed, and cheaper; but the abovo montioned Company havo helped to'explodo such a theory by producing the best class of work at as low a price as an equally good article can be imported from England.

On entering the Wollesloy-atreot promisos wo notice a row of fancy occasional chairs, all of native woods, upholfltorod in emboasod and plain silk, looking so charming ono could almost think it a pity to use them, but rather that they should bc> kept in a glass case to presorvo their a-sthetic boauty.

An elaborate bedroom suite in courso of preparation is ropresentad by a handsome bedstead of choice rimn, mottled and wavy kauri, and when the whole is comploto this suito will bo worth £120. A Southern gentleman, happening to look into tho shop, was so gratified and surprised by tho magnificont products of colonial timbor, that ho gave an extonsive order for furniture to be made and shippod to his address. Noxt is noticed a knoo-holo writing table of solid rimn with Morocco loathor top, and well finished throughout, and also a very handsome Duchos.se table and washtanrl of mottled kauri, showing elegance of doaign, wood, lind workmanship. Wardrobes aro considered essential to tho propor furnishing of a bedroom, and horo aro noticed a dozen or two of a very liandHomo description in various patterns and kinds of wood, tho bost being made of various kinds of kauri or riinu, with attractive bovillod plato glass doors. Chetlioniors and sideboards aro also conspicuous among tho moro imposing class of furniture Worthy of mention, also, is tho oarly English suito just rocoived from tho factory, tho framowork tastefully carvod, tho upholstery of tho finest silk plush, and the suite altogether would do credit to tho best English houso. Tho spacious walls of tho show-rooms aro covered with varieties of mirrors, o.'or-mantols, and articles of a lighter fabric and more fragile charactor, which with tho excellent charactor of tho general stock provides abundunt choico for tho most fastidious tastos. Having glaneod at tho loading linos to bo seen on the first floor, wo noxt vijit tho second story, which is stocked with largo assortments of iron bedsteads, heavy articles of furniture, and pilos of othor furnishing commodities. Tho third floor is packed with quantities of furnituro in tho la^t stage of construction, awaiting tho upholsterer or polishor, as tho case may bo. Tho manager, Mr Tichbon, gave ovory information rotating to this importtant manufacturing concern, his extensive English experience enabling him to explain tho relative valuo of theso goods ovor tho ordinary imported article, tho Aucklandmade goods at all times getting the victory, as regards durability and relative cheapness ; and as far an tho display of tho stock is concornod it should bo addod that his English oxperionco lia-i most certainly not been forgotten, tho windows exhibiting tho touch of a master's hand in tho display of goods, and a docided evidence of good tasto. Tho Auckland Furnituro Company havo obtainod tho contract for suppling tho f urnituio aud fittings for tho row Art Gallory.