ROSS AND GLENDINING, LTD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21019, 7 May 1930, Page 17

ROSS AND GLENDINING, LTD.

Many people are familiar with the picture which depicts the making of a woollen suit, from back to back, in one day, that is to say, commencing early in th 6 morning with the shearing of several sheep,'passing the wool on to workers to turn it into clpth, and then to. tailors to make into a man’s suit. At the top of the picture the sheep are'seen in 4 paddock; at. the bottom of the picture ■ is a fully-dressed man; .conversing, .with,. friends. The same plan is followed today, with the exception of one stage, at the Roslyn Mills.Nowned by Boss and Glendininji, Ltd., in the Knikbrai Valley, which, with the supplementary clothing • and costume factories in Dunedin and Auckland, give employment to nearly 1000 bread winners, quite apart from the hundreds engaged in the hat, shirt, boot. and. smaller manufacturing activities of the company,- It is the first stage, that of shearing, that, is omitted from the firm’s operations, and the wool that is brought into requisition is that which the firm has bought through its own buyers at the beat markets in all parts, of the Dominion. The various stages- of; manufacture are not so hurried as. they were' jn the. Throgmorton case; they are taken in a more leisurely manner in. order that, quality may be ensured in the-goods manufactured—not only suits, but clothing of all ‘descriptions, as well as blankets, rugs, and a hundred and one other articles. The firm’s latest innovation at the mill in the valley is a spacious showroom, in which is displayed a comprehensive range of : the finished goods which tho visitor has seen in process of manufacture. The .variety of these productions is a revelation, and the display-demonstrates that New Zealand manufacturers keep themselves thoroughly up to date in meeting the latest requirements of fashion. It is worthy of note that all the water used (approximately 25,000,000. gallons per annum) in the various manufacturing pro-' ceases is passed through a water-soften-ing process, which has the effect of givipg the wool a soft and kindly “ handle.” The quality of the Roslyn goods is unquestionable. They have held their own when placed alongside some of the best known products'from overseas. The products of the mill are all-wool tweeds, dress tweeds, uniform cloth, Crimean shirtings, tennis cloths, plaidings, white-and coloured flannels, blankets, shawls, travelling rugs, and wheeling yarns; the worsted manufactures embrace worsted coatings and trouserings, worsted and silk mixed tweeds, dress and' COstUiria cloths, serges, and three-ply. four-ply, .nd five-ply fingering yarns, in the .hosiery department are made stockings and socks, underwear, knitted costumes, etc. The visitor to the mill notes with interest the woollen and worsted departments, with their purring machibea at work day after day. One looks with wonder On the making of blankets. They do not look the real thing at certain stages—only masses of damp wool—and it is only after they are dried and passed through the’” raising” machine that they assume the fluffy look and the warm feel of tho finished article; The making of tweeds is another process that calls for inspection. Everyone will remember the fine loom the company showed in the Exhibition. What crowds it drew, and how closely did ' they watch the turning out of beautiful samples of tweed rolls serges, etc. The. Roslyn Mill is truly one of Dunedin’s show places. It is an eye-opener, indeed, to everyone who is privileged to see through it. Roslyn goods, by the excellence of their quality, are becoming better known year by year, fts the demand at the mill proves, and once they take a hold on public favour that hold is never lost. ■Turning to another activity pf the firm we find that for the post 20 years it has

specialised in the manufacture of highgrade boots and shoes at its factory in Princes street South, Dunedin. To-day the factory caters for branches of tho firm throughout the Dominion, and its products are marketed everywhere under the brands “ Mayfair ” and “ Wellesley,” and, it is an open secret that of late years New Zealand boot manufacturers have been finding that times are hard because of the intensity of overseas competition. Rosa and Glendining’s factory has been working its employees full time for the past four years—a fact that 'says a great deal for the sound and successful lines on which the industry is run. Nowadays the market for women’s shoes is a most extensive one. and it is necessary for manufacturing firms to set aside a considerable portion of their plants for the purpose of producing shoes of all I colours, shapes, and designs, according to the dictates of fickle fashion. Ross and Glendining’a factory has made a great and successful effort to supply this important ‘market, and its storerooms are filled with

the newest leathers and trimming materials. Something must also he said of the firm’s hat factory in Stafford street, where many hands are at work. It is deeply interesting to watch the process of transforming hoods, both of fur and wool, into hats of the modern shapes and styles. A machine, termed a rounding machine, trims the brims by cutting away surplus material till the required shape is assumed, and does its work with wonderful precision and speed. Pelt hats of every description and of all colours, for men’s ■and women’s wear, are made l and are made by the thousand, and are made every day throughout the yqar by Dunedin workpeople! The straw hats have a-department of their own. Straw hats for men’s wear, boaters, etc., and straw hats for college girls, Panamas, felts, velours, and Jnvas of every shape—in fact, men’s straw headwear of every description—are to be seen here ready for disposal. Then there is the mantle and costume

factory, all the material for which comes from the lloslyn Mill. This is a gunrautee of quality. In another department blouses and evening frocks are made. With respect to evening frocks and ether light wear, including silk handkerchiefs, made in this factory, it must suffice to remark that samples are shown in great variety. Children’s coats ami school frocks for college and schoolgirls nre a specialty. The making of clothes for men and boys employs a hirge number of bands in the factory in High street. Although suits ready to wear are turned out by the thousand, the firm has a chart system for orders for individual suits from the customers of country storekeepers. The tweeds used all come from the Roslyu mills. A large floor is set apart for the employees engaged in the finishing of shirts and denims. In addition to the factories mentioned above, this company has bi» manufacturing establishments at Auckland, where large staffs of workers produce " Defiance” shirts, “Eoslyn” clothing, and the*

well-known "Lc Roy Kxcelsior " oiled waterproof garments. "Defiance" horse una tow covers arc also turned out at Auckland.