A Suggestion.

“Blacksmith” writes as follows:—

“I have noticed in the Magazine that there has been installed in the Petone blacksmith shop a bolt machine. As I have seen these worked in other places I have been employed in, I consider they are a great success.

“Now that you have got them going, and you find the great saving in labour, I would suggest that you send those bolts throughout all the maintenance branches for bridge work. They could be made in stock lengths say, from 1 ft. to 6 ft. in length, varying 6 in. or 1 ft.

Then all the blacksmiths would have to do would be to cut the required length-say 4 ft. 9 in. from a 5 ft. bolt, or 3 ft. 4 in. from a 3 ft. 6 in. or 4 ft. bolt-and then put in and have it screwed ready for the job. This would apply specially to ⅞ in. and 1 in. bolts. Of other sizes there would not be so many, but they could be ordered as requirements permitted.”

[The Department is already making use of the bolt-making machine for saving manual labour much on the lines suggested by “Blacksmith.” Ed., N. Z. R. M.]