NEW FACTORY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1156, 27 April 1894, Page 32

NEW FACTORY.

MESSRS 13. BIRNBAUM AND SON. The firm of Birnbaum and Son (Limited), waterproof manufacturers, have recently removed from their former premises in Cornhill street to larger and more eomfortj able quarters in a building erected to the order of Mr Jacob Joseph in Victoria street. The change was made with great expedition, for, although the order for the removal was not given until the afternoon of Friday week last, the machinery had been removed, and all the hands were at work in the new building by the usual time on the following Moaday morning. The new building is a business-like and commodious brick structure, faced with cement, with an extremo height of 07ft and 01 ft to the parapet, the frontage being 41ft and the depth 60ft. Passing through a handsomo entrance 7ft wide, and provided with cedar and plate glass swing doors, one finds on the right the office of the manager for New I Zealand (Mr W. R. C. Fox). Mr Fox is a gentleman of very wido business experience gained in every quarter of the globe, and under his energetic sway the business promises to assume very largo proportions. His office is a nicely furnished apartment, , lift Gin by 14ft, the ceiling and walls i being lined with red pine, and varnished. To the left of the entrance is the clerks' office, under tho superintendence of Mr E. Peters, managing clerk; it is 14ft Gin by 22ft, and is providod with all necessary accessories, including a telephono, and speaking tubes to all the floors. At tho rear of tho manager's oflico is a well fitted up room, specially arranged for samples and for indenting goods. Behind these offices is a packing room, 32ft by 36ft, in which the goods as they come down from tho factory aro packed up in readiness for transmission to various parts of New Zealand, wide doorways facilitating the work of despatching them to their destination. In tho far loft-hand corner is a hydraulic lift, travelling to tho top of the building past tho various floors. It was manufactured by Messrs Luke and Son, is provided with Seagar valves, and works as smoothly and satisfactorily as l)ossiblo. i Returning to the entrance, and passing up a handsomo staircase, tho showroom and warehouse is reached. This is a handsomo room, 57ft by 38ft, beautifully lit by largo windows, and admirably adapted for tho display of goods. Here may bo seen excellent specimens of tho work turned out in the factory—natty driving waterproofs, featherweight ladies' ulstors, gig aprons, and in fact every variety of the lighter classes of waterproof goods, of a stylo and shape which must commend thorn to the purchasing public. Tho best feature of it is that, with the exception of tho proofing, which is made at Home, the manufacture of those garments is carried out on tho premises, as was apparent on proceeding further with a visit of inspection wo recently paid to the factory. On tho second floor is tho cutters' room, a well-appointed apartment of tho samo dimensions as the showroom, and under the charge of Mr I Heald, the head cutter. Hare it is that tho material is cut out ready to bo made up by the other hands, the single texturos being manipulated on one side of tho room, and the double textures on the other. In ono corner is a three-horse power gas engine by Crossley, used for driving tho sewing and other machines, and a waterpower machino, by J. T. Glover, of tho Queen's Foundry, Wellington, for use in cases of emergency. On tho same floor is a comfortable dining-room, provided for tho convonienco of tho girls working in tho factory—a convenience, we may add, which is greatly appreciated. On tho top floor of the building is the workroom, also the same size as the showroom, and it is at once apparent that tho workers are not in any way handicapped by bad ventilation or the want of proper appliances, but on the contrary, their convenience and health appear to have received the utmost consideration. The room is lofty and well ventilated, the workers have ample elbow room, although the full number of hands is employed, and altogether the occupants seem to bo working under the happiest conditions. The number of hands all told is 52. All the machines aro worked by tho gas engine already mentioned, tho work thus being less laborious, while tho firm are onablod to get moro work done in the same time (a very fair exchange, by the way), and that the operators present a healthful appearance and work with cheerful vigour is not therefore to be wondered at. The manner in which waterproof garments arc made cannot bo explainod in tho short limits of a newspaper article, but wo may say that tho greatest attention is paid , to the finish of the garments, the seam 3 ' being not only gummed together with a specially prepared solution, but firmly sewn throughout, thus avoiding any danger of the seams gaping open, an experience only too well-known to purchasers of waterproofs. The button-holes are all made by machines, which perform the work in a truly expeditious manner, and finish it off most neatly, whilo there is also a machino for button-making—a most ingenious contrivance —and another for ventilating coats. Mr Chas. Drew occupies the position of foreman, and appears thoroughly capable of filling the responsible position in which he is placed. Tho electric light is to bo installed throughout tho building, it being considered better than gas, as it does not attract the naphtha in the material to tho eyes of the workers. Spoaking tubes are provided on each floor, the sanitary arrangements aro as satisfactory as can be desired, and the Factory Inspectors speak in terms of high appreciation of the manner in which the work has been carried out for the comfort and convenience of those employed. The building was erected by Mr M. Murdock, contractor, from designs furnished by Mr W. C. Chatfield, architect Mr J. Bruce was clerk the works the sub-contractors being, ;~Hayos and

Co., plumbers ; Oughton and Chote, bricklayers ; and R. and E. Tingey, painters. Tho Wellington branch has been established since February, 1892, tho head office being at 33, London Wall, London, and the factory at Wick Lane, Bow. Thero are also branches at New York and Melbourne, and the kind of work turned out is shown by the medals won by their exhibits at exhibitions at Vienna, Santiago, Paris, Sydney, Melbourne and Dunedin. The trade mark of the firm, curiously enough, is a pear tree, the word " Birnbaum " being German for pear tree, whilo tho initial letter " B " is represented by an activo honey-bee closo to tho troo.