SHEARING BY ELECTRICITY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2112, 16 October 1890, Page 2

SHEARING BY ELECTRICITY.

Ibout twelve, months ago we published in these columns an account of a visit by our reporter to Mr W. Poatlothwaite’s Raukapuba estate fur the purpose of seeing the Woleeley shearing machines in practical operation, driven by steam power. Yesterday .dur reporter again visited the estate, and was enabled to see the same machines at work, but this time driven by electricity. Our representative was courteously shown over the whole of the electrical plant by Mr R, H. Postlethwaite, who fitted it up, and who, as, an electrical engineer, has already become well known in the colony and at Home. The dynamo used is one of J. Q. Statter and Co.’s, and is situated about 150yds from the shearing sh-d. It is driven by a 16-inch turbine water wheel, made by Messrs Scott Bros., Christchurch. The water for the turbine is brought from one of the numerous creeks - running through the eata'e. From where the race taps the creek to the spot where the turbln© is erected is about JOOOit, and in that distance a fall of 13ft is secured, which is ample to drive The .wheel. A belt connects-the turbine with the dynamo, and the Current is conveyed by means of wires suspended to the treeq. in the plantation to the motor,'-which T& erected Just outside the shearing shed. A belt cannecta the . motor with the driving spindle of the Wolaeley’ machines. With regard to electricity as a motive power for the shearing machines it would seem to be almost perfect. The water is turned on to the turbine, the current switched on, and thefe is no more trouble. There is no pepd of a person to superintend the machinery. So long as the water continues to itin the work can go on, day and night if required, there is no need of an engineer or fireman, no fuel is necessary, na cartage of water for the boiler required. To regulate an engine that is driving

Wolseley mncbiDea requires an incessmt amount of watchfulness on the part of the driver, as it often happens that, aay, ten machines are cutting at one moment end at the next, perhaps, eight or even the whole of them may be running free owing to a number of sheep being finished at the same time. This, of course, creates an amount of irregularity which often results in the teeth of;the machines being broken. By B'simple contrivance Mr Poatlethwaite has obviated this when the machines are driven by electricity, so that if every machine was to stop cutting at once the speed woutd not be increased. By means of an indicator at the dynamo it c>*h be seen immediately a machine stops cutting. If a person so desires, an indicator cm be erected in his office or study almost any distance away, by which be can tell whether the men are working or hot without ever going near them. The men using the machines are/ greatly impressed with' their improved working when run .by electricity instead of steam. The dynamo with which Mr Postlethwaite drives the Wolseleys al«* serves to run at the homestead, some SOO yards distant, the electric light with which every room n the bouse is fitted up. Here heihas also an electric clock, which requires no winding, as it is wound automatically by the electric current, and wi 1 go on almost for ever without any attention being required. Mr Postlethwaite has a very cosy little study fitted up. with a great number of electric*! contrivances and apparatus. He has a large storerooom in which is stored every description of article necessary for electric lighting, from i'luminating with a tiny spark the flower in a lady s dress to the' immense lamps for a lighthouse or for harbor lights. There ia litt e doubt but that electricity.will‘in this colony, as at Home, soon lake the place of steam for an infinite variety of purposes. It needs but to to be appreciated, and a visit to the, Rsukapuka ahod , during the coming wool season i woii.lii well repay anyone for- their .trouble. The small amount and fall of water required, the quietness- and---ease with which the work ia done, the small outlay required to obtain the plant and get it into working order, the immense saving in the way of salaries of engine driver, water carter, fuel, &c., should recommend it at once to ©very farmer having a stream on or near his land. By the outlay of a few pounds a power can be obtained for doing all the work on a farm now done by steam or horse power. Prom a dynamo wires could be run along the ordinary fence posts or the trees of a plantation, and the threshing, chaff cutting, &c., done in any paddock. The wear and tear of a dynamo, too, is exceedingly sm 11, amounting to li per cent, per annum, while for engines . per' cent, and for boilers 19 per cent, must be written off annually for depreciation.