CHRISTCHURCH INDUSTRIES.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16519, 10 May 1919, Page 12

CHRISTCHURCH INDUSTRIES.

HIGH STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE ATTAINED

The superiority of imported goods is becoming a thing of tho pait. Local manufacturers now not only equal, but in many caso.3 excel, imported good", and the buying public is wisely discarding its prejudice towards the local article, realising that in fostering homo industries it is also fostering national wealth, and at the came time obtaining bettor value and a higher standard of excellence all round.

The descriptive articles below will introduce to tho reader, a number of important manufacturing concerns in Cliristchurch that aro already playing important parts in commercially developing New Zealand generally and Canterbury particularly.

(Published nr Arrangement. - ! /

\V, H. PRICE & SON, LTD. THE LEADING BRASS FOUNDERS, AND MOTOR AND MARINE ENGINEERS, GEAR CUTTERS, ETC,

The progress of this firm, ever since its foundation in 1879 by the lato Mr W. H. Pricc, has been a succession of successes. Every branch, as it wa3 added, has proved as successful as its associates, a fact duo to tho management sparing noither money nor trouble in securing skilled mechanics and proper equipment to produce work of the very highest class. A visit to this firm's foundry and workshops at 34-36 Manchester street, is a revelation of systematic ordor and precision, as applied to manufacturing. The brass foundry itself is a well-lighted building, excellently ventilated, and completely negatives the erroneous idea that provails in some people's minds that the brass trade is an unhealthy one. In fact, tho visitor only has to notice the age of many of the employees and their hale and hearty condition, to realise how healthy their occupation is. Enquiry elicited that among tho staff there wero some half-dozen employees whose ages ranged from fifty to sixty odd years. These men ar© in fine fettle, and show nond of the ill effects of their vocation. As one finds in many of our industries, there is a lamentable short-j age of skilled tradesmen, notwithstand- 1 ing the splendid wages earned by brass j workers. "When ,in conversation with a "Press'' reporter, Mr F. C. Price, managing director, remarked that ho bad enough work available to employ a- much larger number of hands if they came forward. Passing from tho foundry, our representative was conducted to tho ca&phardening department, where casoliardoning furnaces working with compressed air and gas were being used in tho process of case-hardening various gears and motor parts. Next, the polishing and grinding room was visited where' the work is finally polished and finished for plating. Passing back to tho machino and fitting shop, which contains somo of the most modern plant that it is possible to obtain, including i "milling," "shaping," and "slotting" machines, not to mention some of the very newest engineers' and turret ■lathes, also various fonns of brass finishers' lathes. Altogether, sotno seventy or eighty machines axe actively employed in this department. On going -upstairs, the pattern sHop, which is Largo and well lighted, was visited. Here aro stored thousands of patterns for casting every conceivable part of tho metal work required in various industries. Tho pattern-makers aro here employed in constantly making and adjusting the patterns which are in use.

VARIOUS WORKS UNDERTAKEN BY THIS FIRM. Needless "to say, a firm so -well ■ned with a plant Of this description, and! Ku k afed m V ments, is in a position to undertake the • ■ manufacture of any class of or brass work which is generally, fought to be impossible to manufacture in this amntry. MILKING MACHINES. All over New Zealand, and ean as Jar afield as Australia, are to be found Silking machines of this firm s manucture. . TUMPS. "Water rams and parts, windmill pumps, spray pumps, double-acting geared force pumps, diaphragm and c«n~ - trifugal pumps—in fact every class or pump—can be manufactured oil tho premises. MARINE GOODS. ? Steam valves and boiler mountings, blow-off cocks, injectors and _ ejectors, propellers, stern glands, fittings for motor-launches and yachts, otc. MILITARY AND HARNESS FITTINGS. Buckles and spurs, nickel, saddle-trees «md nave "bands, Sam Browne belt . bnekles, hooks, and studs, trotting weights. TURNIP AND RAPE SEEDERS. Various designs of those have been made by y tliis firm for tho .last thirty . rears, special machinery having been in- ■ stalled to cop© with tho various raven- .. . BELLS. All classes of bolls are cast and turned, from the heavv church,, fire, and 6ohool bell down to- the prosaic cowbell. , CHURCH FITTINGS. Lecterns, crosses, candelabra, vases, felms dishes, etc. SHOP AND OFFICE FITTINGS. . Including, stair and foot rails,. stair treads, dem and counter window and show-case fittings. Tne brass woru in the majority of the leading banks, offices, drapers, jewellers, ana picture theatres of this city were mioe .by. tms firm. One special bronze °®Jcony, ■weiring dose on a ton, was made lor ci btuldiog in a North Tslatid city. ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES. Switches, commutator parte, holders, lamp brackets, and tie numerous castings . ased m Swhrasa jn& t 2low. yact xndustiz* W® brass

LEADING MANUFACTURING EIKMS.

castings for the Lako Coleridge Power House, Otira Tunnel, and many coal mines and Public Works Department were made by this firm. PLUMBERS' SUPPLIES Arc made in every form from washtub plugs to toilet taps. In fact, a pago of this paper would not suffice to enumerate all the lines of this nature made by W. H. Price and Sons, Ltd. FIRE BRIGADE APPLIANCES. Every class of hydrant with single, and double head, also gate-headed ones; anglo fire valves or wall hydrants for public buildingsbranch pipes. hose couplings, "Y" pieces, breeching pieces, adapters, and strainers, etc., chemical engines and hose reols and fittings. GENERAL ENGINEERS' SUPPLIES. Pcet valves, "W.T. globo steam valves for any pressure, check and ball valves, stufling gland blow-off cocks— either flanged or screwed, ono to four ways. Alfo brewers' and malsters' mash tun hoppers and plates, man holes, spargers, bottling and corking machines. , BRASS AND COPPER SPUN GOODS. Metal spinning is also ono of this firm's branches, numerous articles suqli as locomotive head lamp-burners, reflectors, ball valve and carburettor floats, parts of motor lamps, etc., being regularly manufactured. TRAM, CARRIAGE, AND MOTOR BODY FITTINGS. Overhead fittings, frogs, trolley wheels and hasps for trams, seat handles, grab rail handles, locks, and the hundred and one other lines that go to mako up a car. Wind-screens and .flaps, hood fittings and extensions, lamp holders, etc., for motor-cars, aiso side-car fittings. CAB AND MOTOR-BIKE GEARS. These are milled and case-hardened from tho best quality gear steel, including crown and bevel gears, worm gears and shafts, helical wheels—single and double, clutch gears, etc.. of all descriptions. In fact, there is not a gear from that for a phonograph to a dredge worm-gear that Messrs "V 7. H. Price and Son, Ltd., are not capable of undertaking.

CYLINDER REPAIRS AND RENEWALS. • Such as re-boring cylinders (single, ■ twin, quadruple, etc.), fitting new pistons, gudgeon pins, rugk, etc., re-seat-ing and making new valves, Tappit guides, etc. In fact, to giro an idea of the standard of excellence this firm has attained, they liavo recently made for tlio Canterbury Aviation Company/ several new cylinders, pistons, and crank cases for their aeroplanes. IN CONCLUSION. Tlie reader will realise from the foregoing that scarcely a part of a modern motor-engine but which can be , replaced by this progresivo and up-to-date firm. The stocks for above trades are carried in an adjacent store, ana include tons of rod, sheet, and tube in brass, copper, aluminium, bronze, etc., mild, cast, chrome, and nickel steel, axle steel, gear blanks, in all sizes, ingot metals in aluminium, brass, tin, copper, antimony, zinc, lead, "nickd. magnalleum for piston heads, gunmetal, phosphor bronze, brazing metal, anti-friction metals dt all grades. Also carried for stock and sale purposes are castings of . every description in large quantities, including phosphor bronze in rod and bushes, piston head, and rug metal for motor engineers and othors.