AUCKLAND WOOLLEN FACTORY.

New Zealand Herald, Issue 6568, 5 December 1882, Page 6

AUCKLAND WOOLLEN FACTORY.

A prootnebt place in one of theshow-rocro of the late Agricultural Exhibition at Ellcrslie was occupied by the - Woollen Company for their exhibits woollen goods of various descriptions al» manufactured from raw material prodarpj in the colony. Visitors inspected the» articles with a good deal of interest, manlTt them no doubt feeling a degree of pride t the excellent and even splendid material that can be produced m the woollen. lin« ihside of the globe. Whether heavy the shape of blankets and rues fabrics such as twee.ls and flaale'ls, mg made at the Company's premises all the exhibits were first-class, and would very favourable comparison with th; «iir description of goods imported from the W manufactories in the old country Jt be mentioned here that the goods ■ i'th 7 Kaiapoi Company shown at thelaternatirn,l Exh.brtion received the gold medal for the best woollens, and a gold medal iZ the manufacture of clothing, as ndl M special awird called the industrial prij* given to the colonial exhibitor or firm whicK had shown by its exhibit and otherwise that it had done most to forward .New Zealand industry It appears that already B o me 0 j the goods—flannels especially—have be™ by English the materials, inferior in strength and durability to the colonial-made fabric, having been «ent here to be sold at a cheaper rata than th« colonial article can be sold for. Not lono since, in a draper's shop in Auckland I wal shown a sample of this imitation flannel which placed alongside a piece of siailai material made ty a New Zealand Company it would take adept to fay which was which' The Kaiapoi Company's goods at anv are free from all mixture of cotton or shoddy which cannot be said of a good deal of the fabrics and articles of clothing sent out to this colony as woollen goods. In order that | the Company may be protected against imitation, I believe it is the intention at once to adopt and register a trade mark. I have before me the report and balance-sheet of the fifth financial meeting of shareholders of the Kaiapoi Company, which was held last month. It appears that eighty looms are now at wort, and the mill and "clothing factory give employment to nearly 500 hands! The profit and loss account shows a surplus of £9043 lls7d ; out of that it is proposed to pay a dividend of 10 per cent., absorbing £5000, the balance to be carried forward to the new account. It is probable that the electric light will be in use in the works befort the next annual meeting. The Company his been in existence not quite five vears 'an j in order to show the progress that had' been made, the chairman of the meeting stated that when the present Company started it had twenty-nine persons employed, at the end of that year sixty-three, in the second 154, third S.jO, and on that day 500 persons were engaged in work at the mill and the warehouse and clothing factory. The mill now contained eighty looms, with other machinery to keep up with the.n. The additions were nearly all completed, except the erection of a larger wool store, now in progress, and the placing of two pair of mules expected from England. The carding-room was now in complete order, and the mill, when quite completed, might be said to be the best in the Australian colonies. It may te added, in reference to this Company, that they have two agents employed in Auckland, their whole time being devoted to pushing the sale of ihe Kaiapoi woollen goods. But the Kaiapoi is not the only woollen goods manufactory. There is another at Dunedin, the Mosgiel Woollen Company, which seems to be equally successful, as the following telegram received by the Herald the other day abundantly proves: "The Mosaiel Woollen Company's report shows that the balance on the year's operations, available for distri'.ution, is £4522. The directors recommend the payment of a 10 per cent, dividend, absorbing £2SOO, and that the balance of £1722 be carried to the new profit and loss accoun'_. The additions during the year amounted to £13,949 13s 2d, and the stock and raw material now in the hands of the Company are valued at £21,533." Here, therefore, are two Companies, both having a large amount of capital invested in them, both employing a good deal of labonr, and cach paying at the rate of 10 percent, to | their several shareholders. From the success that has attended the establishment oi woollen factories in the southern parts of the colony, a general feeling exists that it is about time a factory were commenced in Auckland. Indeed, it has been said that it is not very creditable to the capitalists and leading men of this Province that a woollen factory has not been started long ago, that might now be in full swing, giving employment to hundreds of peopio, and paving a good percentage on capital invested. It is not that the matter has not been often talked about. On more than one occasion, judging from paragraphs that appeared in the papers, there seemed to be a probability of a start being made towards the establishment of this important industry. Latterly, however, nothing has been heard on the subject.

This is a time when factories and industries of various kinds are being established. And the more we have, the better for the country, provided they are commenced on a sound and proper basis, and are carried on with necessary energy and skill. Soap and candle factories are already in existence, cheese and bacon factories are being commenced, preserved meat and preserved fish industries are a success, as are other industries that I need not specify. But I venture to affirm that a woollen factory is, in importance, second to none of these. So important, in fact, is this particular industry, that somn parties are of opinion that the Governmeni might with :;dvantage have devoted largo sums out of the loans for the establishments of woollen factories in the various provincial towns. However, as the factories already in operation are a success, and without help from Government, there seems to be no necessity to subsidize or otherwise assist the woollen business.

Several reasons might be urged why it would be advantageous to start a factory in or near Auckland. (1) Raw material would be utilized ; (2) labour would be given to the people; (3) capital would be invested; (4) money would be kept in the colony that is regularly sent away for what coald just iswell be produced here. Probais'y the two most important points are those connected with the employment of labour and the investment of capital. A woollen factory gives employment to a large number of hands. In the preparation of the wool, in the weaving of the various fabrics, in the dyeing, and so on, there must of necessity be a good deal of work, and requiring a great deal of hands to do it. And if in connection with a factory there is s■ shop for manufacturing material into clothing, &c., the number of the employed would be largely increased. At present, as before stated, the Kaiapoi Woollen Co.npany employ about 500 wor * people. In addition there are theagent3an" travellers who are engaged throughout the country in disposing of the goods. Now, may safely be asserted that if the population of Auckland is to be kept up, and to increase as it should do, industries of variens descriptions must be carried on, and amongst the rest the manufacture of woollen goods; so that there may be employment for vanons classes of tje population. This would benefit the country settlers also, as the n.ore the people the better the market for and other produce. It is found, too, that land and property in the vicinity of a factory doing a flourishing business are sure to increase in valu°. as in time cottages for th 6 work people n - i '>*her buildings are ercctWi the factory becoming the centrc 01 3 village, that gradually increases in size and importance as the business developes anu extends. As to capital, if southern factories are so well established as to pay 10 per cent., * ® is to hinder an Auckland factory being Jl®' as successful ? Indeed, a business oi character is more legitimate, more safe remunerative than some of the public and mining schemes that interested p.liIJfS occasionally float. The nominal capital c: - r '-- Kaiapoi Company is £100.000 in 4000 shares of £25 each. They have property and P™ of the value of up wards of £30,000, andabou the same v;;lue in manufactured goods an raw material. From small beginnings tne business has gradually increased to present extent and importance. And a- n distant date it may be hoped that a sum success may attend the establishment an working of an Auckland Woollen Factor}. AORICOLA.