IMPORTANT ROPE AND TWINE WORKS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1473, 22 June 1912, Page 20

IMPORTANT ROPE AND TWINE WORKS.

W. ROSS AND SONS, LTD., FOXTON

In referring aino time ago to the important pnrt ployed by the flax-growing industry an authority reworked: "Manufactories for tlio manufacture of rope ami twine lieinp, or those cnllcil for. liy the new processes ami methods. would arise wherever the. (lax leaf was grown and the (lax fields and manufactories would become Veritable hives of industry." The statement is particularly applicable to Messrs. W. ]{oss and Sons, Ltd. Hope and twino manufacturers, Foxton, whose wellknown business comprises both ilax-inil'l-ing and rope aiul twine works. The firm,

well-kept and imposing appfc.Srairee,. are built on generous lin:es,. an(i nrf.h, every allowance for further extensions 1 ' v.'-inVlv now, liv the way, have eo.ninicriceiii to niako their appearance..

Tho present factory comprises 12,300 square feet of floor space, of ivihicli the? rope and twine works .absorb 750fi -Sqfi-aj-o-feet, and tho shop. Iv.ino work.?, iSfll) s.'iuare leet. The biriUl.ings are of \Y.o<id;, and ,cnrniKato:l iron w:i:fif rt cei'c-.'? lioor, while ihe motive powder pp!i*-<l is by a 130 h.p. snetion gas •:n;iiiK'.

Mo—r-. T!iis= and So.iiSj. hid., cfinriiioiu;oil their I'oxlon six year.-- ago,, but previous to that t.iiiii(.'■ ({iov had 'ui;;ri in business also in Napier. The n'Hiv-.o to I'oxton was merely iviilj tbe iih-. (if being in t-lie centre of ik'.'- Has fi.[.:i.iis. 'I'nii iirin lias gradually built UP : ;in extensive wholesale business w-i'th, ia. connection

in fact, lias four flaxmills witli v.-hicli it is partly connected, employing. 60. hands, and a rope and twine factory which finds employment for JO hands, practically all tho year round. The lias-mills produce about 5 tons of hemp per day, whilo the factory turns out all .classes of work in tliti shape of Manila cordage, hinder twine, shop twines of oil descriptions niado from Italian, Russian, and jute hemp, yacht, trawl, and lent lilies, and last, tyut not least, ship's hawsers. Xo fewer than 17 different classes of hemp are used in the manufacture of the firm's goods, and in all there is practically a range of -00 lines of qualifies and sizes, manufactured by tho most modern machinery procurable. . The Factory. The firm's buildings which have a fine

throughout New Zea.!.a'iid ; The 1 ria'me of tho firm spells ciua'Vity, A shop and j twino department is the. latest addi-. Hon to tho business'; Previously till thisclass of goods was imported, bii.t Messrs. Ross and Sons are l.io.'tf tvir.ifing ftut; .shoji l and twine articles which, )j:ith the aid 'of 1 ;! Ihe necessary modern ijvfcliiiipvji:, «ro re-* ■ markable alike lor ftifish ajid: ci.ii.aiity'.

A Busy Industry. A Dominion rt'pro=o'rit;i;liv& iatoly:.' paid n. visit to the livm'S f;iisifl:<y wo.r ; k was at high pressure. Tiro .-erne iva? one of bustlo and nctivilV,. especially fix .the nay of machinery ill moiiqn, "ml Uionrani:or in which sliapclc's.-v Jjliivflloi of flax or jute were transformed jntdflie'ligjileffc .of rono and binder twiiiev u'.ul tin; sjii itiest; l>a 11s ol' twino that..e.v:e.r. ti'e.ii Mp'. a, pa<.'K-

age. Tiio whole of the proees'sc-a wero UlOst .interesl i.nKi. Jit the rope ami twine j'Ooin was 'the pro.patthf; machinery, wli.io.li accepts, flic.: flax libre anil rans it through. I'lie iiooides ■ or combs at (he raift of £00 fee.l: per imnii;tp. THencC it'is: eoiiveyed fill the drawing; ah.il f;prendi.:irg machines at t.he rate of $80 feet per minute, and i'ui'i feivf=o casks i-Oivisv ■for the The ari a.Mi ot Iho hoeides and ilwi jiieilmd. of H!«il«f:Kjliri:S draws the libre i'nio an endless band tei'iued » -.-ii-,"!',"' 'I'lie- "sl.ivH's*" are put th-inugh ..ill: r urAeh'ines ,!!i il ";!iav,c-r-.'' v.li.ii-l'i ij M't-lii.'i* milieu !>:« 11 nii.d. iOVei up the yarn, Py iejmaUng tlm priWess ?er■ai:ii'l times, an even sliver is jirOdiieed, nnil ■pf suit'n'l')i'<V size to make lijni'ier tv.iiie Or Wire jSii'Ji, 'l"aeiv ate ten spiiyiviuK ejiiives. Tlio a:;'.nai makinii of Jtlir- yarn is done On a revoivin:,- j)icr of iKiiiliin tsisi-

iiiachiiies were ehirflK.fid rii flic work of siftiiller no'd:i;;», 5.u.e.1.!. iis plniigh anil lent lines, aiiil. sinall ; rop'e.<i, ll'lio binder Who balling mijchiiies iflrtro) out font balls ol HViiio every Ifro nii'n.ul'eH.

A Mew Department. In t'lio s'ho.p' iAVWic dcparhnei.il: were seen drawing Jf.ahifs, iho vaine its in t ; hc previous liepiii'inii".;:, lint .o.i'v a !i.n.".r i.wtlv. It, is lii'i® lirii't: t'lie terc.ijjU hei.iip:,. Such: us jiirfCi oic., is snlieiieil niid Jta.li"is free of the dust. a'n.d then jtul i vei: Hie i.niil.iiVj; j.ii.nr-.iiTi.i!.'-., jvliic.V). bi'ea-k ;ui,d iltviifc i|i*j (Hires i'iili! KiiiiivJ.ili'- Imiglh.-', alter winch ihti is fori bur >I-.-;ii. 11 ;.! !Yv 11;:-i-|i::iii"c;rl and, ill)' siij'hiblo si'zij bavin# ' obtatjved, live band of ftlire is jmX iqr <jV i.lio elij'iliii.ij aiii! preparing' niiieliiiii's, and (.lie s'p.inii'i.h.g i.ini s. l/'i'iini -10 to (it): ends are spun into yarn., if!} at i.lie l'ijn'c* ( by small milking iii'ers. Tliii yarns are

ing' u,p thci "sliver," after it has beea.redue.ed'iii size through Jid'iug d'i:a\vn through, a. suitnblc di.fi ci; holde'r. It is. then wound on a ljobbiif and .removed to .the ■bailing' or ropa machines as v.eciu.ire.d. T-lic ball-, ing: ■lii.achiijes are' the useful pieces' of ■lneohjiiiisiii Which turn oiit the- iilb. balls': of binder twine, so fohimo.il iii tinvn and ■country. RiirS and lions' ropes made by .what is termed house'' machinery' —that', is uiaciiiiiery which automatically, .ciiah.ies: is'll "jxipe's. 'to' bp.-"ii.iader '■with' '■ the" s;lh)e : ' a'i'i'ion'h!; of twist ahfl. fce.nSioiv, ; irreppeclii've of tho operator. ' In «):ne rppo works this work i;s depcudeii't iijhiii the; .sfcil.i of the O'^i'Vrioi',

then twis!ed into two or .more. p!y, as rc- ' , ii'uiicd, on twisting; fran'c.s and after-. "■ wants conveyed to the polMiiflg. machines, : which by iv systehi of : washing tuid. "siz= : iti!;,." cnuiiihje'd with hot 'Cylinders, and i rulibin;? rollers, varnishes .' life. bulls oi • twine into that (ir.e siirootli iinMi so iwuh ;;dnnre(i. may be libn-!' 1 ejif ici s.titrci!i'lifj.-.ari-I'.Jrtnii.ii^..]Variy.ili-'y .i. ilio. i n osf !ii (>(1 erii" nieilio*!s..The pl'jMur is,." I pas.-"il threnxh n sort, of paste. and tlien ! 'tvavsjHid :i)yei;;' tlte '!io(l'ji:™u:!ivaxsdv^yJln ; ■ ■' di-'rs. The twine then .' onlywiii'ires ' '. '"biiltiiVjy' or' iijy ir.ib -'iivall s'piinis,.' : vaiiij it'.'■ ! i's. tiieiifpaeked ■ ready' i«r ' itiiß- : ' ; iiiarkei, In hi: known as; shop/twine or . ;'striiij;.. This;. Irifosi aiKlitiou to.; Jlessrsv■ ; -IJV?.=:3-. o'ii<l. iSbi'i*s:.-n orKs/Ji;i.s.r-jjrpvo'(l to- )>Q. -;i'j' : ;hxv.i Sueccssv" The' liu>:iif-v h:\s iir'owii i ; .eousi.de.i'ablyj. ,lnc\iliy-Mi s Hre; .arLiekv.|. ■ ■.'is much 'in demand. <.Tm> iiulpiit r.t i iressr.s : ;.:Rpss' and Son's works ruiis i into ; 500'. t.n lis yearly, "ol 'all clashes of :gopds, ■■ pad the iivn'i is in (he pn>i!;oti (o mnUo ; , (iypi;yt,luiis rerpur.cil in. the "cpi-diiije: tiiijie..'.

Tbs writer saw a )-strami yarn hem? bid up-mto vnpd ai:u. coil (Hi lip, aiijo.maticaiiy ;oady for She iuar!;e!. the epsfatijig' n\aehino (a big .iron bobbin) tiirniiig: 108 cevdhiti'o'.ns I'p' the 1 niiii.uxfj. Several siiriila.i'