NEW LOCAL INDUSTRY.

Evening Star, Issue 14036, 17 April 1909, Page 5

NEW LOCAL INDUSTRY.

ENGINES FOR MOTOR BOATS. : When the ordinary landsman steps into a motor launch he generally takes for granted that what he calls the motor, as distinct from the launch, is an imported article. Very often he is right. But if he also takes for granted that the engines cannot be made locally he is wrong. Quite a number of boats have been fitted with engines made in Dunedin, and now a serious attempt is being made here to manufacture them in quantity, principally for fishing boats. The coming of the oil engine has had considerable influence on the fishing industry. Years ago, when the fishing grounds were handy of access, fishing boats were rarely much over 20ft long, and conld be handled by sail or oars. Now, instead of being able to catch good hauls of fish close to the Heads, the fishermen have to go much further away, often as far as fourteen miles. A larger type of boat became necessary, and motor boats between 30ft and 34ft are now in use and demand by fishermen. There is at present some talk about the poor supply of fish for the town, but if it were not for th© oil engine housewives would be still worse off for fish. Naturally the fisherman wants to install his engine as cheaply as possible. Up to some months ago the imported engine suitable for their purposes used to cost £135. Now a locally-made engine can be purchased and fitted in complete for £96, and this has at least had the effect of bringing down the price of the foreign article, wlych mostly comes from America. I The most important point, however, is the fostering of a new local industry. To Mr R. S. Tonkinson belongs the'eredit of being the pioneer in this field. Having settled on a design adapted to the require- \ ments indicated above—an oil engine of ' about 5 h.p., made somewhat stronger! and heavier than the imported article to ensure its standing rough treatment—he had patterns made locally, got the necessary castings done at H„ E. Shackiock’s foundry, and built the engines at his own i engineering workshops. He still continues 1 to do so, employing four hands there in fitting the engines together; but he is also getting Messrs Shacklock to turn the engines out complete at their foundry for him, and that firm are at present busy in the manufacture of a dozen.

These engines, registered under the name of the “Viking,” are of two types, the larger about 5 h.p., with a s|in ’ diameter cylinder and 6£in stroke, and the smaller about 4 h.p.. with a 54in cylinder and 6in stroke. Each does about 400 revolutions per minute, driving a ?oin to 21|rn threebladed nropeller. The reversing gear throws Ln+o gear a set of machine-cut wheels which make the proneller shaft revolve in the opposite direction. By courtesy of Mr Shacklock a member of our staff was given the opportunity of going through the foundry and seeing the engine-beds, cylinders, and cylinder-heads cast, and the cylinders being bored. For the cylinder-heads especially some rather complicated casting, involving some fancy core-making, is necessitated, principally on account of the water jacket. The cylinder-heads are all tested with hydraulic pressure before being used. The weight of the engine complete is from 9cvrt to lOcwt. It is essentially a heavy slow-speed engine as distinct from a light high-speed engine, but it is Mr Tonkinson’s intention to turn out also another type with two cylinders, giving rather more than double the power. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. It is satisfactory, therefore, to know that these Viking engines have been doing good work for months past at OacnATU. Moeraki, Waikonaiti, and Port Chalmers, the first of them being installed abed twelve months ago. As the engines are entirely of local make, ex'’opt that the batteries for the ignition come from America and the nuts from England, there seems to be no reason why the Government should not encourage a home industry. Seacliff runs a launch, a tender has just been accepted for launches for defence purposes, and it is understood that the Harbor Board are ; ng to secure one for the-pilot service.