R. A. SHAW.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17348, 20 December 1919, Page 13

R. A. SHAW.

BUICK AND HUDSON CARS. One of the oldest motor garage businesses in the South Auckland district is that established by Mr. H. H. Shaw, of Hamilton, in 19J.1, and popularly known as Shaw's Garage. Starting with one single agency and a modest farm workshop '"in the suburbs of Hamilton in 1911, this' business has grown in seven years to its present staff of 20 employees, warranting the erection of the substantial three-storeyed brick building now Hearing completion m Hamilton's main street. The two floors of the new premises that will comprise the garage provide a floor space of 12,000 ft, and a low-level right-of-Way at the back gives entrance to the ground floor, and obviates the inconvenience of a lift or ramp. The whole of this ground floor of 6000 ft will be devoted to general mater repair and overhaul work, and is being equipped with up-to-date machines, electrically driven. The front portion of the main floor on the Victoria Street level will comprise a large car display stand and a separate accessory showroom, backed by private and general offices and a commodious and up-to-date suite of rest and cloakrooms. The rear half of this floor is to be reserved exclusively for car storage, and, being equipped with a turntable, will doubtless prove a welcome convenience to clients wishing to protect their cars from the exposure and risks of road "parking." Another innovation i that will be appreciated by Waikato j motorists in general is the provision of a set of first-class private car lockers, giving safe storage with independent access at all timesa particular boon to country motorists using the Main Trunk | trains.' j Besides the Buick and Hudson agencies, ; now so successfully established throughout the South Auckland district, Mr. Shaw has lately acquired the district agency for Maxwell and Chandler cars in order to more adequately cope with the large and varied demand in his territory. The 1920 Maxwell embodies many distinct improvements in design, and is intended to take the place of the light " four" cylinder Buick, as„ owing to the phenomenal world-wide demand for ,the " six "-cylinder Buick, the company has hab* to suspend the manufacture of its " four "-cylinder model. The Chandler car, with its roomy, seven-passenger body and powerful motor, makes a worthy big brother to the Buick " six," whose fivepassenger seating capacity is not always adequate to the demands of a large family Mr. Shaw has faith in the future of the motor business and in the virility of his own particular agencies, and is quite confident that time will justify his enterprise in the new garage and prove, the wisdom of thus building for the future. A FLOURISHING CONCERN. THE HARDWARE AND METAL STORES, LTD. ' Hamilton, within the memory of Jots of people a mere village, is now generally recognised as a place of considerable importance, and the most progressive provincial town of the Dominion, and the immense area of splendid farming country in a high state of cultivation, of which Hamilton is the centre, or the " hub," should assure the continued prosperity of the place. Hamilton owes much, very much, to its natural advantages, and it ife exceptionally fortunate also in the efficiency and public spiritedness of its leading men, and the ability and enterprise of its men of commerce. There are many houses of business in Hamilton worthy of the metropolis itself, and amongst them the Hardware and Metal Stores, Ltd. (hardware and machinery merchants), occupies a prominent place. This concern claims to be the premier hardware house of the Waikato. and it would appear to fully justify the title. In fact, it was the importance and commercial standing of this house that induced a representative of the Herald to pay a visit to the firm to obtain the materials for the present noticed The Hardware and Metal Stores, Ltd., as at present constituted, came into existence only sis years ago (practically succeeding Messrs. Goodfellow— the transient existence of Messrs. (Jruar. Morton, and Sample, Ltd., intervening. The metal stores were unfortunate in that they bad hardly got fairly under way when the Great War broke out, and utterly disorganised commerce and industry, practically cutting off all imports from Continental Europe and even from Great Britain itself. This unfortunate state of things handicapped importers very seriously, and rendered it extremely difficult for them to secure the necessary supplies of goods from oversea, even at inflated and constantly increasing rates, with the result that a young concern like-tho Metal Stores. Ltd., naturally felt the strain on its resources pretty considerably. However, thanks to careful management, the company has succeeded in " carrying on" and weathering the storm. This experience has given rise to a virile philosophy which finds fitting expression in the following lines culled from the firm's advertising columns: — Boy. when you're up against it. Get y'T back agin' a fence An' swing that good ol' weapon We used to call "horse sense." Pitch off yer coat—go at it— Jes' like a fightin' man; Throw up y'r —glad y'r ain't dead. Then sluice y'r bench an' pan. Say! When y'r up against it, l>on't get feelin' blue; » There's room to spare, there's plenty air. Ain't that enuf f'r you? Every bedrock wash-up * Ain't all gold to th' pan; But life can't be a failure II y'r play th' game, a-man Though still experiencing much difficulty in securing the necessary quantity and quality of many commodities essential to the proper conduct of their business, the firm's commodious warehouse, packed from floor to ceiling, bears eloquent testimony to the vigour and vigilance of their efforts to supply the needs of an ever-increasing circle of friends. In addition to generous stocks of such general hardware lines as iron and wire and nails and netting, roofing materials, painters' and paperhangers' materials, tools for ail trades, tinware, enamelware, aluminium, cutlery, silver and electroplated ware, brush ware, leather lines, and sporting goods, ammunition and explosives, and a "hundred and one" little and large labour-saving devices that make life "more worth while," the Metal Stores, Ltd.. claims to the chief distributors, out of Auckland, of lime and cement, bricks, tiles, and pipes. They specialise, too in wallpaper, and carry large stocks of linoleum and congoleum. By virtue of direct importing of the bulk of their stocks, and careful buying of the balance in the local markets, and, above all, in consequence of efficient methods of handling and distributing, the company avers' that " outside competition from the two chief centres" does not embarrass them any. In fact, the problem with them to-day is not how to find a market for their goods but how to find goods for the market they have cultivated. Side by side with the builders' trade has grown the farmers' and household trade. " Sale day" at the Metal Stores bears witness to the appreciation of the farming community of the methods employed and the service rendered by this firm, and Friday with its late nipht (constituting the people's day) yields the same tribute of appreciation from householders in general. J It is written, " Blessed is the man who has found his work !" In conclusion we would just state that these people 3eem to have found their work, and without doubt they are " on to their job."