A NEW INDUSTRY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1932, 30 November 1888, Page 23

A NEW INDUSTRY.

Messrs W. Whyte aud Co., of George street, have just established a new industry— namely, the manufacture of nutritious food from cereals. Primarily intended as food for infants and invalids, the new productions should also make their way into general use for everyday purposes. The novelty consists in the introduction in several instances of the Arabian and Egyptian lentils. From a variety of causes lentils have not met with much favour with Britishers, although consumed in considerable quantities on the Continent of Europe. The lentil is one of the oldest leguminous plants used as food of which there is any record, and every reader of the Bible knows that it was used in the time of Esau. In Egypt and Syria tho lentils are parched in a frying pan and sold in the shops, and are considered by the natives as the 1 best food for those on long journeys. That this is correct is shown by modern chemistry proving that there is a large quantity of nitrogenised matter — 3840 parts containing 1260 parts of starch and 1433 parts of a matter analogous to animal matter. According to the theorj of nutrition of Professor Liebig, lentils constitute one of the most highly autritious foods in nature. With this important fact to go upon, Messrs Whyte and Co. decided that if it could be introduced in foods with other oereals in due proportion, the result would be an article highly nutritious and pleasing to tho palate. Having made arrangements for the introduction of Egyptian and Arabiau lentils, they have now started to turn out goods suitable for a great variety of dishes which should prove of great service. We have received a sample of these, and a very caref ol examination of the ingredients shows that their productions are likely to be much superior to the imported articles, which are liable to be stale. As Messrs Whytes' goods can be manufactured and sold at a price 25 per cent, less than the imported article, and that without any Protection, the value of the industry to food consumers must be at once apparent. Of the samples submitted to us we may mention the patent prepared groats for gruel and infants' food ; whole wheat meal for porridge ; wheaten and oaten meal for porridge; lentil flour for cakes, econes, &c. ; digestive food for cakes, puddings, &o. ; maize meal and cracked wheat. These, with samples of lentils, Indian eye beans, and the wheat used, have been carefully tested, and no comparison need be feared with anything imported either as to quality or nutritious properties.

—The summer freshet of the Yellow river has swept away all the barriers interposed in the gap made last September, and the work of nine months disappeared in a few hours. As this disaster was feared no lives appear to have been lost, but the question of the treatment of the Yellow river is where if ■was immediately after the inundation of last autumn.

—Damon : " I admit frankly to yon that I am in love with your wife." Pythias : " Well, old boy, there ia no hope for you ? because she doesn't even love me,''

SIMON BROS. BOOT FACTORY.

Few persona are aware of the extent of the I business carried on by Messrs Simon Brothers, bootmakers, iv George street. Behind the unpretentious shop facing the street, and known as " The Beehive," there is another building— a veritable beehive— where a large number of operatives are busily employed making boots and shoes of every description. The first thing that arrests one's attention is the noise of the machinery, which is almost deafening. Then it strikes one that there is a great amount of life and motion in every compartment of the building, In one room where the fine English leathers are kept, about 22 hands are employed, the majority of whom are girls. In one corner there are three waxthreading machines at work sewing the uppers of boots. In another part of the room a girl is putting in the eyelets boots by the aid of a machine ; and in the same room a number of men are engaged in cutting out uppers, and doing other work, such as making satchels for school children, and cutting out leggings. In another compartment two men are employed cutting up leather by machinery into different sized rangers. These are then handed over to two other men stationed at another machine used for the purpose of rolling the leather, which is put through the machine three or four times before it is ready foe the benchmen. It is tlien taken to another compartment where it is put through cutting presses, which are capable of cutting the leather into soles and heels of 170 different shapes and sizes. In the 6ame compartment, in close vicinity to the cutting presses, is a very ingenious "machine knownjjas Blake's sole-sewing machine, which is capable of sewing the sole of the lightest lady's slipper, and also that of the heaviest watertight boot. There is likewise a channelling machine not far from the latter, and a split lifting machine, the former being used for channelling the soles before they are ready for the Blake's machine. In another room 23 benehmen are employed machine-sewing, pegging, and riveting, and around the walls of the, room may be seen a great quantity of lasts, of 150 different shapes, all of which are used in mnking up boots. There are also three finishing rooms, three hands being employed in each room— those in one room doing sewn-work, those in the second doing rivetted, and those in the third room pegged work. There is also a grindery and upper room iv connection with the factory, a repairing room, and a sample room. In the latter there are about 150 different kinds of boots. The most recent additions to Messrs Simon Brothers' stock are some boots made up very much after the style of the best English manufactures, and if it were not for the distinguishing trade mark it would be rather a difficult matter to tell the colonial made boots from the English. The firm employ altogether in connection with their factory and shops between 70 and 80 hands.