P. & D. Duncan's South British Implement Works.

Progress, Volume I, Issue 10, 1 August 1906, Page 271

P. & D. Duncans South British Implement Works.

Tuam and St. Asaph Streets, Christchurch.

These works were established by Mr. P. Duncan, in 1865, in premises in Cashel street to the rear of Beath & Co.'s present establishment. Two years later he was jcined by his elder brother, the late David Duncan, the firm shortly afterwards commencing the manufacture of ploughs in a small way. The business increasing rapidly, a new position with more room was secured in Tuam street, adjoining the old Wellington hotel, in the year 1876, where more- commodious shops were erected and further new lines gone in for — the plant being gradually increased to meet the requirements of the trade. A foundry was added to the works in the year 1880, and on the site of the old Wellington hotel being acquired in 1881, a new fitting shop and foundry were erected on the section, the hotel itself being turned into a store, for which purpose it has served ever since. In 1804 the business was turned into a company. Mr. P. Duncan, owing to ill-health, retired from the more active management some five years ago. Tn 1903, increased accommodation being necessary, a section was secured on the south side of St. A.saph street, and an up-to-date foundry erected thereon complete with commodious pattern shop, extensive pattern store, fettling shop, store for castings, motor room and all necessary accessories, making it as complete and modern a foundry of its size as can be seen in the Southern Hemisphere — the old foundry site on the Tuam street frontage being altered and extended into a fitting and machine shop. These works at present employ 187 hands.and the work is very steady, the output being nearly constant all the year round. One of the difficulties in implement making in New Zealand is the wide range of work which has to be undertaken to secure sufficient orders to keep all hands going. The work at Duncans varying with the seasons, repairs to horse rakes, strippers, drays, and reaping and mowing machines are effected in January and February ; ploughs,

hairows and cultivators in March, April and May ; drills, disc harrows and rollers m June and July ; and so on throughout the year. Another difficulty in the implement business in this country, and one not fully understood by those outside the trade, is the diversity of conditions under which agriculture is carried en in in the colony in regard to the quality and condition of the lands cultivated, necessitating a wide range in size and style of many of the implements. P. &

traction wagons, spreading wagons for metalling roads, etc. Although P. & D. Duncan manufacture a full line of implements, ploughs, disc harrows, drills and cultivators form the bulk of their output. In their " Star " drill they claim to have the best drill extant for New Zealand conditions, and their patent turnip and rape sower is undoubtedlly as simple and effective a method of doing this work as could well be imagined. The plant comprises 3 steam hammers, 3 Oliver hammers, 2 heating furnaces, 22 blacksmith forges, 4 punching and shearing machines, 10 drilling machines, 10 lathes, 3 screwing machines, milling, shaping, slotting and planing machines, 4 wood planing machines, 2 band saws. 1 circular and 1 swing saw, etc. Power is obtained from 2 boilers, 2 engines, and 3 electric motors employing city current. The Company's goods are mainly sold by agents in the different centres throughout the colony, but a large trade is done direct with farmers in

D. Duncan, Ltd., for example, manufacture about forty-five varieties of ploughs, twenty-eight different sorts and sizes of disc harrows, and over fifty different varieties and sizes of drills, besides many other lines m like proportions. This is not a matter of choice, but necessity, for the customer requires the machine made a particular way to suit his land, and it is made accordingly. P. & D. Duncan, Ltd manufacture every class of farm implement — reaping, mowing and threshing machinery excepted — and their goods are well known throughout New Zealand for the highest class material, workmanship and design. In addition to agricultural machinery they also manufacture road - making and repairing machinery,

Canterbury, many of the older settlers and their sons having been customers for thirty or forty years. Mr. John Duncan is chairman of directors, Mr. L. L. Cordery, F.1.A.N.Z., secretary to the Company, and Mr. James Keir works manager.