DIXON'S NAILLESS HORSESHOE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7658, 8 June 1886, Page 6

DIXON'S NAILLESS HORSESHOE.

A meeting of persons interested in bones was convened for half-past three yesterday afternoon at Robson's Diningrooms. His Worship the Mayor was to have taken the chair, but was obliged to excuse himself, as be bad to attend a meeting of the Hospital Committee. Very few put in an appearance, and no formal meeting was held, but among those present we noticed Messrs. J. B. Russell, S. Jackson, Dr. Wilkins, Messrs. Crowther and Perkins. Mr. Dixon explained the merits of his invention, and replied to objections and inquiries. He stated that the cost of a set of his nailleas shoes would be ss, or less than that of the ordinary shoes now in use. The maximum of paring for adaptation to the hoof of a horse would be one-eighth of an inch in any part, and that only in the immediate vicinity of the clamps. He considered that even if the merits of his invention did not ensure the general adoption of his nailless shoes immediately by the public, yet that their immense value to travellers and others in neighbourhoods where shoes could not readily be replaced, would cause a great demand for them. In the coarse of a journey, on a shoe being cast, one of the nailless substitutes could be slipped on without loss of time, and with no trouble. Mr. J. B. Rpssell suggested that a few persons should put, say, £5 each together and get some dozen seta made of the best materials ; that Mr. Crowther and the Tram Company should be supplied with the shoeing of two horses each for a certain period free, at the end of which they should report. If their report proved favourable then Mr. Dixon would be in a position to go before the public with a marketable commodity tested by experience, but as yet the invention was but in the region of experiment. Mr. Dixon said he was willing to shoe any horse of Mr. Crowther's that could pull 30cwt up Wellesley-street, and to keep it shod, and that he would agree to the test of success resting on the result of this. Mr. Dixon further explained that he had not convened a meeting with any view of at once forming a company, but merely to invite discussion and elicit opinions. So soon as he had finally perfected his invention he would call another meeting and I invite the public to co-operate with him in I forming a company. I The meeting then dispersed.