THE OTAGO FOUNDRY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11714, 23 April 1900, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE OTAGO FOUNDRY.

MACGREGOR A2nD CO., Proprietors,

With its variations in geological formation, soil, and New Zealand, it is to bo presumed, requires mining machinery and agricultural and other implements diiferent from those in use in-England and Amsrrca. It sometimes occurs that what -is serviceable there is of.little use here, and vice versa. .Henca we nn;st have engineering talent and inventive genius among our people, men who can supply industry with those powerful mechanical 'appliance's that .are necessary.

Messrs MncGregor and Co., as the subsequent sketch will show, fill many useful and important functions in. Otago, "and the high class and difficult work that they turn out is a credit to the colony. Shortly put, the Otago 'Foundry produces di'edges, steamers, mining plant of all kinds, water motors, steam engines, dairy and rabbit factory plants, milimg machinery, and various other types. This is a diversified list, some of the items in which «re likely to astonish the general public, who little imagined that engineering work so complicated and large could be undertaken, jjut the • partners, Mr John. MacGregor and Mr Thomas Gillies, are experienced engineers, who have proved their capability in many ways. Mr MacG'regor's lite work lias been engineering. jjorn at Linlithgow. Scotland, he came to the colony about 30 years ago, and lias been Home on two occasions since to get a further insight into branches of his work. Acquiring a knowledge of engineering in (.lie old country, after his arrival here he was associated with some local foundries for some years. Then for seven years lie was in tiie employ of the Union Steam Ship Company as a, '"mariiio engineer, ami' was engineer to several mining companies on the West Coast. Mr (l-iillies is a native of Glasgow, and came to Otago when 15 years of age. He was afterwards associated with different engineering and brass foundry firms, and was for seven years foreman of works at Anderson and Morrison's. Each gentleman may be said to have specialised JiT dHi'ereut brunches, and their 'combined experience eminently lits them tc undertake various kinds of wcuke. Five nr.d a-quaHer years ago Mr MacUregor re-opened the Ota:.;o ■foundry, which was one of the earliest in the city, on the old premises at the end of Stuart street, near the wharf. Mr Uiilies became a partner two years aero. Although starting at so recent a duty, Mac-C-fregpr and Co. already "employ about 60 hands, and their business is' increasins; every year. The premises are about 1601t long and 80ft wide, and consist of brick and iron. So considerably have the demands upon them increased that they are now erecting large brick premises, 144 ft by 50ft in dimensions, which should enabJo them to cope with every extension of trade during the next few years. Included in the plant which they "have installed are eight lathes, tlires pattern makers' lathes, three: drilling machines, a planer and sh.iper, rolls and punching machines, and a large steam hammer, all driven by' a 14-h.p. steam engine. The speciality of Messrs MacC4regor and Co. is mining "machinery, a class of work which Mr \kicUrc-gor studied during his long connection with western mines. Eighteen years ago he constructed t-no first dredge used in Nov.' Zealand for the Bunedin Gold Dredging Company. This dredge is still at work on the MolVneux liiver. To Mr MacClregor must be ascribed many of the improvements that have been made in dred.ee construction, although his modesty does not allow him to make particular claims therein. Every class of mining machinery required in Ihe province is mads by-the iirm, and some of their contracts have been extremely large. They are- at 'present very busy in constructing dredgas, having orders from Messrs Cutten Bros., Leslie H. Reynolds, .1? W I'ayne. and K. Roberts. As lias been stated elsewhere these dredges are more advanced than any in use in other parts of the world, and the engineers of Dunedin ai-R supplying an object" lesson to America and other countries, where dredging is resorted to. At the present, also, MacGregor and Co. are building, for use on the Chitba River a-"' steamer of two independent wheels, worked by two independent engines. The whole of the work is being done by them, even to the engines. There are not many firms in Australasia, that, can negotiate this important class of work, and all praise is due to the proprietors of the Otago Foundry. The firm make machinery for mills of all kinds, and are now constructing three of the largest elevators ever projected in this colony, to the order of Mr I<\ \V. Payne, consulting enrineer. Considerable work is done by them in factory plant construction, and they have fitted up a number of the dairying fac*tcries in the southern district, and° also rabbit factories for the. iS~cw Zealand Cooperative GuKipuny. They equipped the Dunback Rubbit Canning Factory, making the combination dies, and also the crimping machinery for canning, and the boiling down and concentrating machinery, etc., for Messrs A. and J. Macfarlane. They fitted up the whole of the Croydon works, and the works at Gap road, Winton, and several creameries. Engines and various other engineering works ;ir.o manufactured with the utmost success, the name of the firm rising in eminence rapidly. For a little over five years' work their record is a splendid one, and constitutes MaeGregov and Co. one of the most useful firms in Dunedin and Otago. Under arrangement, all the eastings are carried out by Messrs Wilkinson, Ca-llon and Co.. a. separate firm. These gent'.emen do all kinds of malleable and steel castings, from the softest to the hardest, and their work is noted for the severe, strain which it is able to bear. Their reputation in casting is unsurpassed, and they hold big contracts from the New Zealand railways m this line. Mr Gallon has had a most important experience in many purls of the world, and has been associated with his particular branch for about 45 years. Born in Birmingham, England, he was for 15 years in that city engaged in making steel and malleable castings. Then ne spent seven years in Glasgow with JVi.'Caffey, Forsyth, Miller and Co. In addition to" experience jrained in these two world-wide centres of ironwork lie spent about four years, during two visits, in America, and also two years in London. Twenty years ago he came to New Zealand, and established a business