LOCAL INDUSTRY.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20905, 12 July 1933, Page 16

LOCAL INDUSTRY.

WEED-CUTTER IN RlYlJl HEATHCOTE. . *3 MAKERS COMPLIMENTED. A compliment to local industry *jj was paid by Mr J. W. Beanlaot m chairman of the ChristchuiA'll Drainage Board, yesterday noon, when members of the boattftaS works committee inspected the newl! weed-cutter built for the Avon and Heathcote. The new cuU" 1 ter was launched on the Avon In'jf May last, and now it is doing <hH» '« on the Heathcote along the Bhtfijh.s between the Ferry road bridge aqA "1 the Opawa bridge. Others present 1 besides Mr Beanland were Meaigjl W. C. Large (chairman of the com* i mittee), J. S. Barnett, W. J. WalhwS Charles Hill, and S. C. Bulging* When the members arrived at thin scene they found the boat moow|S to a slippery piece of bank!«nM took some care in going abottlf|j The cutter proceeded upstreamfslfi some distance, well loaded, butlftf|| power of the engine is such trapl it slid over mud banks, cutting green weed all the time, without! ll falter. *m Repairs too Costly. "Ifw The old launch was placed in tlrfll Avon in 1909, and recently mkm board decided that it had readSfcjlf the end of a useful life. RepaKll were becoming costly and priSiS for the construction of a new cutter "were invited locally iSjpff from England. Owing to th&hfZii rate of exchange and the ftttSGlff charges, it was found that the HflraPl price would be between SOfSsffl cent, and 60 per cent, higher «3rfl the New Zealand price. suit was that the Christchurch fllmfl of Andersons, Ltd., secured the ctf&Jl tract. The hull was built in SS telton by Whitfords. Moreover, locally-built engine uses 80 'SSM cent, less fuel. It was found-; tEwf! certain parts from the old angl were still in good order, and VtSfm were incorporated in the * co&9tQ§|§| tion of the new boat, the coanHgl price being £430. ~^ißH The engine is a 12 horse'PoM||| twin-cylinder. The cutting parafffl of the boat consists of arms, with blades similar to JUmBI on a reaper, athwartships at |Bh| stern. Each is six feet ing a total swathe with each "ftfflffl of 12 feet. They are adjust&t|9| the depth of the water. Whe#|fH board members were inspectinpHHi plant yesterday the tide wW''lmS| but it was explained masses of weed cut the bo«Mg|||j apparently stuck fast in mid-stWbm||] would drift down to the eeftMgjp with the succeeding high drift out to sea. The means <XnHH pulsion is a stern wheel, "aqfls|gg mechanical movements are waaHH from the one power unit; a mjjai ment to port or starboard %fflB& wheel provides for steering, JWJIBH is assisted by a man in who uses a weed rake in the'null! ner of punting. 0:-~jHffl

Improving the Banks. While in the locality the jpliH bers spent some time watehm||HH 55 men engaged under the ggJMBJ scheme, building up the DM«|MH| the Heathcote river near the bridge. The work* was s*a*Wsil»! Wilson's estate, Cashmere, ttMnd vast improvement is being-jaHBB Most of the men are w°"H!ffHß waders, digging up weed ™«£Saß placed on a pontoon, and mmftJMBB the edge of the river wtoWMM to consolidate the banks. TfufcnH been going on for about twoJfjflßl and in some places a*es hasfgaW be used to cut the of the old willow trees wftjfiHH banks. Suitable soil ca&beflH nearby for use as a top-dresslwra«H| the banks, which will oe jiu iiu i U UMHH| in grass. When the work lt>*qWß pleted the whole of the awtJHB present a very much imyi'iW*<E^m