JUST PLUMBING

Evening Star, Issue 21720, 15 May 1934, Page 9 (Supplement)

JUST PLUMBING

A LOCAL ROMANCE Prosaic an occupation as the trade of plumbing might appeal’ to be, it nevertheless possesses its romantic side. 'A visit to the extensive workshops of Messrs J. and T. Christie Ltd., in George street, cannot fail to be impressive to the layman. * Obviously a highly-skilled technical trade, plumbing at Christies is apparently also an art, calling for an artist’s eye and hand. Beauty, to-day has completely invaded the home, particularly in the realms of the bath room, the kitchen, and the laundry. The shinyuess of nickel, silver, and chromium, the mellowness of brass and copper, the beautiful white of porcelain are the pigments on this artist’s palate It must be a considerable source of satisfaction to architects and builders that such a firm as Christies is avail able in Dunedia to perform with the efficacy and efficiency the excellent work they do. Here New Zealanders in the capacity of coppersmiths arc busy making lot-water cylinders and bending and fitting boiler pipes for con nocting all tbc most modern of hotwater appliance,. A tremendous variety of interesting things arc fashioned from sheet mehl'such as down-piping,

spouting, and ridging, which can be made to almost any shape by a huge press. One extremely interesting item is this firm’s own patent skylights and greenhouses, many of which are in use all over the dominion. Christies is an old-established firm. It was founded in 1881, one of the oldest in New Zealand’s plumbing trade. Both its members arrived in New Zealand together from Scotland, and commenced business on the site which today can justly boast a line showroom and even finer factory. Fittingly, it plays its part in the romance of New Zealand’s industrial expansion.