D.—4.

Tube cutting, expanding, &c. For tube cutting and expanding a modern, balanced, power-driven plant should be installed, and multiple drilling-machines are also required in this shop. (c.) The Machine and Fitting Shop. Shaky roof. Poor transmission and lifting-gear. The shafting is oaried on an old and unstable roof, and a large amount of power is lost in transmission. The lifting-arrangements at the machines can only be regarded as makeshifts. The height of the shop is insufficient for the development of a satisfactory handling scheme. The arrangement and grouping of the machines are bad. The congested state of the shop is a contributing cause of these defects. Tool-room, &c, unsatisfactory. The tool-room and tool-room equipment are not what might be expected to be found in n shop professing to turn out accurate work. (This mater is dealt with under heading II.) Lathes obsolete. The majority of the older lathes are unsuitable for use with high-speed steel. A few of the lathes might be modified with fairly satisfactory results (this has already been done in one case); the remainder should be replaced by modern machines. Remodelling of shop recommended. The Board would also recommend the complete remodelling of the buildings, the lav-oiit, the power-transmission, and the material-handling arrangements of this shop. (d.) The Erecting-shop. Overhead travellers. The overhead travellers are far too slow in action to be made general use of. The same remarks apply to these as to those in the boiler-shop, and similar action should be taken regarding them. (c.) The Points and Crossings Shop. This shop is well equipped for the work to be done. It is, however, desirable that a level laying-out floor on concrete foundations should be substituted for the pieces of rail at present in use. (f.) The Foundry. Lifting-appliance faulty. The lifting-appliance, a single overhead traveller, hand-worked, is an extremely poor one, twelve men being required to deal with the larger ladles. The Board is informed that an air-lift has been ordered for this traveller, but is of opinion that a modern three-motor electrically driven crane is required. Independent wall cranes below the' traveller are also desirable, but the small amount of head-room available will make their introduction difficult. At present the pig is being broken by hand, and, with the fuel, carried by manual labour up to the charging-platform. It is understood that cupola lifts and a pig-breaker are in hand. These should be completed without delay. A bolting-down floor and a watertight casting-pit should also be provided. The position of the rattlers involves a large amount of handling of castings. (g.) The Gar-shop and Mill. More modern machinery required. More modern woodworking machinery is required at the mill, also a pneumatic shavingscollecting and boiler-feeding system. ** In the car-shop a system of lifting-beams, trestles, and transport bogies should be provided for dealing with cars whilst their own bogies are removed for repairs. (h.) Wagon-under frame Manufacture. New shop required. Wagon-underframe manufacture is at present carried on in a shed in connection with the boiler-shop. A well-equipped shop-section is required for this class of work and for dealing with car and wagon bogies and undergear generally. Here should be installed a complete multiple drilling plant, with drills capable of being set to template, so that no marking-off of the work is required. (i.) Motive Power Motive-power arrangements wasteful. The motive-power arrangements at Addington are wasteful in the extreme. The presence of the many independent overworked boilers and non-condensing steam-engines, together with faulty belt transmission, fully accounts for the enormous fuel-consumption of 3,700 tons per annum for power purposes alone.

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