WOOLLEN MANUFACTORY.

Otago Witness, Issue 878, 26 September 1868, Page 16

WOOLLEN MANUFACTORY.

The following letter, on the subject of a Woollen Manufactory in Otago, -was received from Scotland by a gentleman in tliis city by the last mail, and ha 3 been handed to us for publication :—: —

Dear Sir — The other day I was much pleased and intt rested to read the enclosed extract from the Otago Daily Times, bearing on the Bubject of woollen manufactories being introduced into the colony. I am willing to go out to superintend any estab bshment of this kind, whether gone into by a private individual or by a company. I have had a thoroughly practical training in all branches or departments of the trade, so far as regards the manufacture of tweeds, ladies' dre6S material, shirtings, shawls, &c , and am quite competent to undertake the management of a factory. We, for the last 12 years, have bought largely of New ZJe^land wools, which are the wool mostly used (when the price will admit), and best adapted for the making of the famed Scotch Tweeds. I can see the great advantages that would be derived from getting the wools as it were on the spot, thereby saving freight to this country, brokerage, &c, and freight back in the shape of the manufactured article ; and, in addition, the many profits on both articles ; on the wool before it reaches the hands of the manufacturer, and on the goods before they reach the hands of the dealers on your side. Against this there will be a good few disadvantages, and, no doubt, some I cannot fores'?^ not possessing sufficient knowledge of your £<o»ntry. There would be one disadvantage which lies on the surface, viz , higher wages to parties employed, and who would have to be taken from this country. Then are dyewoods, |uch as Jogwood, camwood, cudbear, {bo., to tn fe** W *l» S?toJ»J>"

and if so/ at what prices?" There are also other drysaltery goods, such as oil (olive), soap, soda ash, grain tin, cochineal, lac dye, pruesiate, &c, Ac, all requisite for the production of fancy woollens ; could they be had in the colony, and do you know anything anent prices T I presume there is no chemical disadvantage in the water that could affect the process Of dyeing ? In this country, LBOOO or L9OOO would be enough to build a mill and put in all requisite machinery for the production of 600 yards per day of such texture as the enclosed sample. Our price for enclosed sample to the wholesale dealers in London and Glasgow, is 2s 9d a yard 28 inches wide. You will have an idea what it would be worth in the Colony. It costs us to produce 2s 5d or 2s 6d, and is made of your own country's wool. Since you left this country, there have been great improvements made in woollen machinery, all tending towards the doing away with manual labour; and I annex a calculation of the hands that would be necessary for an establishment to produce the 5000 yards, and the wages received by such hands in this country. per "week, s. d. 1 wool-sorter, and to take charge of same 15 0 1 wool-scourer 15 0 1 willeyman' . — 15 0 1 machine foreman (carding engine)... 25 0 1 assistant to assist in cleaning 16 0 6 boys, or girls, feeders and tenders 7 0 1 spinner foreman, for self-acting mules 22 6 4 boys, tenders for mules 7 0 1 woman, to reel 9 0 2 transfers (2 boys or 1 man) 20 0 1 dyer , 25 0 1 assistant 16 0 1 foreman, to give out yarns, &c. ... 25 0 20 young women, for power loams, get so much per yard ; average about 12 0 1 power loom inner man 30 0 1 assistant ■. 17 6 12 women, to curl, paint, and darn (each) 9 0 1 man, to superintend 25 0 lmillmaa i 20 0 1 finisher, oropping machines 22 6 1 pressman 17 6 2 young men, to assist in drying, &o. (each) •. 15 0 4 young women, for winding machines (each) 9 0 1 engineer, to take charge of all machinery and do repairs 67 people. Seventy hands at the most would be enough, aud could, I think, easily be got to go in a rody from this country, if they were guaranteed work and fair wages. I shall now give you an idea of the probable expense of the machinery, taking the process in. rotation as in the manufacture :—: — 1 scouring machine £35 0 0 2 teazers or willeys 140 0 0 3 sets of carding engines, with condensers and cards, all comQlete 1050 0 0 2 spinning jennies, self-acting, with each 1000 spindles, at 6s 8d per spindle 666 13 4 1 reel (could be made there) say 13 0 0 3 boilers for dyeing 67 10 0 2 tramping mills (made there) 60 0 0 20 power looms, with heddles, reeds, &c 10^0 0 0 2 miling or fulling machines ... 90 0 0 3 sets stenters (could be made there) '. 100 0 0 2 yankees or cropping machines (one 60 inches wide) 95 0 0 Hydraulic press 100 0 0 Preßs papers 80 0 0 Packing press 30 0 0 Rolling and measuring machine 20 0 0 2 winding machines 90 0 0 2 twisting frameß 200 0 0 Pirns (bobbins, &c, could be made there) 150 0 0 £3989 3 4 j L4OOO would, 1 think, he very near the ' sum required to buy the machinery in this country; then you have, of course, the carriage over aud passage of the engineer to fit up same, who should, if possible, be retained. Messrs Platt Brothers and Co. of Oldham, in England, are the best makers of woollen machinery, and are the parties above all others 1 should solicit for supplying the machinery. In addition to what is Htated in my letter, there is the shafting ; but if there be any ironfounders at all in the colony, they could surely produce that, if not, it would have to go from thia country, and would cost other L 350 or so. Then the water wheel, that could be made of wood, and I presume could be made in the colony. A wooden wheel, if of like wood to what is in this country, would last at least 12 years. To propel all this machinery, at least a power equal to 86 or 40 horse- power would be necessary. A good waterfall and plenty of pure water are indispensable in woollen manufaqture. The building being of wood, would do best in the shape of a large shed lighted from the roof, and being not less than one hundred feet long, to admit of spinning jennies of theproper length, which cheapen the production. 1 think I have little more to add, having touched on nearly every subject. I presume there is sufficient population in the colony to consume something like 500 or 600 yards per day ; that would be equal to 70 or 80 suits per day.

The only Plot in which thejie, is NO MyS7W-»"-A. plot of grass,