Messrs. Lucas & Sons.

Messrs Lucas and Sons, engineers, Kilmore-street, Christchurch, arrived here about five years ago from Birmingham, where, for ten years, Mr Lucas, sen., had been in business on his own account at the Columbian Works, Oldbury. Previous to that he was for some years manager at the Swan Foundry, Oldbury, in which over sixty hands were employed. At the Columbian Works he designed and made the "Special" engine for use in the Colonies, which was very favourably received both in New Zealand and Australia, several of them being in use at the present, time in Christchurch and other parts of this colony. Their works are in Kilmore-street, near Colombo bridge, in brick premises recently erected by them. They turn out some of the finer kinds of machinery, and have established a reputation for themselves among manufacturers and companies throughout the district. The firm are engineers in the full sense of the word, and both design and carry out their own work, besides giving designs and estimates for all kinds of machinery. Among the works which they have turned out are special machinery for ornamental brick, tiles, and drain pipe manufac-page 168turing for Messrs Ford and Ogden, and others in Canterbury; engine, boiler, and punching gear for the Christchurch Barbed Wire Manufactory, and the winding gear for the Hartley Colliery Company. They fitted up the Waireka Dairy Factory at Weston, near Oamaru, on the Ngapara branch railway, with a three h.p. vertical engine, and six h.p. boiler, and made the engines and machinery for the steam launch running on the Avon. They have recently made considerable inprovements in wool-washing machinery and appliances connected therewith, which have been in use at the works of Messrs Bowron Bros., Thomas York, and Jabez Rhodes, giving every satisfaction. They have also fitted up the new machinery and gas engines in nearly all the principal printing offices of Christchurch: their work at the "Lyttelton Times" new offices having been very large, the machinery having been entirely re-arranged, and several considerable additions made. As to the complete and workman-like manner in which all this was done reference is kindly permitted to the proprietors of the "Lyttelton Times."

"Within the past few months Mr Alfred H. Hart, well known, as a horticultural builder and hot-water engineer, till recently carrying on business in Hazeldean-road, Sydenham, has joined Messrs Lucas and Sons, and, in consequence, Mr Hart's specialty has been added to their business. Conservatories, greenhouses, vineries, forcing houses, and ferneries are, therefore, now here designed and constructed. Hot-water apparatus for heating horticultural structures, schools, offices, warehouses, public buildings, &c, is also a matter to which Mr Hart has given special attention. In both of these lines he has executed work in and near Christchurch to which he can point with satisfaction, and as to which reference can be made with confidence. Mention of one large work—the hot-water apparatus for warming the "Lyttelton Times" Company's new premises in Gloucester-street, Christchurch—designed and executed by him, is sufficient to convince our readers of the capabilities of Mr Hart, and his ability as an engineer. This appliance includes a patent "climax" boiler of wrought welded iron, capable of heating 2250 ft. of 4 in. piping. The total length fitted up is 2020 ft. (exclusive of bends and connections) namely: 1170 ft. of 4 inch, 750 ft. of three-inch, and 100 ft. of two-inch, the whole being equivalent to a heating surface of 1720 superficial feet. The cistern contains about 900 gallons of water; and one usual fertile source of expense in hot-water apparatus, namely breakages, has been reduced to a minimum by the patent expansion joints used throughout the building. The piping is so arranged as to form six distinct services. This large work, the largest carried out in New Zealand, has been page 169completed by Mr Hart, and is a standing testimony to his success as a hot-water engineer. In smaller works he is equally successful, and has done much in fixing kitchen ranges, and making complete apparatus for supplying baths, &c., with hot and cold water. To those who have work in this line which they wish done, Messrs Lucas and Sons are now able to supply designs and estimates, and, if required, can furnish numerous references to work erected in and near Christchurch.