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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Taranaki, Hawke's Bay & Wellington Provincial Districts]

Ironmongers, Etc

Ironmongers, Etc.

Collinson and Son (late R. S. Barry), General Ironmongers, The Square, Palmerston North. This business was established and conducted for many years by Mr. R. S. Barry, who sold out to the present firm in the year 1907. The premises have a fine frontage to the Square, with two expansive plate glass windows, in which the stock is displayed to the best advantage. The shop, which has a depth of 150 feet, carries a large stock of general ironmongery, electro-plate ware, crockery, etc. The firm make a specialty of lamps, cutlery, and brushes, of which with other lines they are direct importers. A steady cash business is done, and four persens are constantly employed.

Mr. Henry Collinson, the proprietor, was born in the year 1883 in Palmerston North. He served a number of years with Messrs. Hopwood, Dunk, and Pringle, and Messrs. Permain and Gilchrist (ironmongers), before starting business on his own account. Mr. Collinson is a member of the Masonic fraternity.

Holden and Kirk (E. R. B. Holben and W. Kirk), Dairy, Refrigerating, and Electrical Engineers, Rangitikei Street, Palmerston North. This business was established by the present proprietors in the year 1897, in small premises lower down in Rangitikei street. These were, however, destroyed by fire, and the business for a short time was conducted in temporary premises. A new building was then erected on the old site, but business increased so rapidly that Messrs. Holben and Kirk soon found it necessary to remove to larger premises higher up in the same thoroughfare. The present building measures ninety feet by 250 feet, and the workshops at the rear sixty-six feet by 160 feet. The shop contains a wide assortment of articles adapted to the use of dairy factories and farmers, and of plumbers' and tinsmiths' goods. The workshops are equipped with a thoroughly up-to-date plant of curving, punching, shearing, drilling, boring, and other machines, screw-cutting lathes, and a guillotine. Direct expansion cream vats, dairy vats, milk weighing machines, milk and cream cans of all descriptions, pasteurisers, aerators, coolers, and other articles are manufactured. Among the specialties of which Messrs. Holben and Kirk are the sole manufacturers may be mentioned the direct expansion cream vat, attemperator insulated cream vat, paraffin butter box enamelling machines, and the automatic butter box impressed printing machine. Messrs. Holben and Kirk make a specialty of the erection of factory plants in their entirety, including engines, boilers, butter workers, separators, freezing chambers, and the necessary plumbing. The butter factories and creameries are fitted up by this firm on the most modern lines, and among them may be mentioned those at Awahuri, Rongotea, Glen-Oroua, Levin, Ballance, Konini, Utiku, Taihape, Mangaweka, Masterton, Hastings, Otaki, Pohangina, Ashhurst, Bunnythorpe, Fitzherbert, Hunter-ville, Hastwells, Kairanga, Manga-onoho, Oroua Bridge, Pohonui, and many others. At their warehouse the firm keep every class of goods required by dairy farmers and factories, including Astra, Melotte, De Laval, and Reid separators, besides testers, scales, belting, and Babcock and composite test bottles. They also do all kinds of coppersmithing, sheet metal working, tinsmithing, and general plumbing, including the manufacture of baths, pipes, tanks, and sanitary goods.

Mr. Edward Reuben Benjamin Holben, Principal of the firm of Messrs. Holben and Kirk, was born in North Woolwich, England, on the 29th May, 1869. In the year 1876, in company with his parents, he left Liverpool in the ship “Camper-down,” for New Zealand. He is a member of the Palmtrston North Borough Council, and has assisted in carrying out the Palmerston North sewerage extension scheme, the £26,000 water reticulation scheme, the erection of a municipal opera house and public abattoirs, the Hoko-whitu protection works, and the straightening and deepening of the Kaiwai stream. He is also a member of the Borough Finance Committee, page 683 Public Works, Abattoir, Reserves and Domain Board Committees, Fire Brigade, and Campbell Street School Committees, and the chairman of the Opera House Committee. Mr. Holben is also secretary of the North Island Brass Hand Association.

Bunting, photo.Mr. E. R. B. Holben.

Bunting, photo.
Mr. E. R. B. Holben.

Messrs. Holben and Kirk's Premises.

Messrs. Holben and Kirk's Premises.

Mr. William Kirk, of the firm of Messrs. Holben and Kirk, was born in London, England, in the year 1869, and came to New Zealand with his parents in 1872. He was educated at the State school, Wellington, and was afterwards apprenticed to the plumbing trade. In 1896 he joined Mr. Holben in partnership at Palmerston North.

Bunting, photo.Mr. W. Kirk.

Bunting, photo.
Mr. W. Kirk.

Meyrick, Frederick, Plumber, Gasfitter, and Tinsmith, George Street, Palmerston North. This business was established many years ago, and was acquired by the present proprietor in the year 1906. Four persons are constantly employed. Mr. Mey-rick was born in Wellington in the year 1868, and at an early age removed to Palmerston North. After leaving school he learned his trade under Mr. Rawlins, with whom he worked for many years as a journeyman, and latterly as foreman of the works. Mr. Meyrick takes a keen interest in athletic sports, and on one occasion won the New Zealand championship for high-jumping. For ten page 684 years le conducted the Palmerston North Brass Band, and in 1903 was sent to England as tenor player in the New Zealand Band. Mr. Meyrick is a member of the Orchestral Society.

O'Reilly, David (late D. and T. O'Reilly), Plumber, Tinsmith, and Gasfitter, Broad Street, Palmerston North. This business was established in the year 1900 by the present proprietor, who was joined in partnership in the year 1902 by his brother, Mr. T. O'Reilly. The latter, however, withdrew in 1907, leaving Mr. D. O'Reilly sole proprietor. The premises consist of a two-storeyed building, including a shop, a large showroom, an office, and a workroom. A complete plant has been installed for the manufacture of all kinds of tinware and other goods. Mr. O'Reilly holds certificates from the London City Guild and the Wellington Technical school, and is a thoroughly competent and reliable tradesman. He was born in County Meath, Ireland, in the year 1878, and came to New Zealand in the year 1885. He was educated at the Catholic College, Palmerston North, was employed by Messrs. Ballinger Brothers, of Wellington, for five years, and later by the Public Works Department. He subsequently returned to Palmerston North to establish his present business.

Bunting, photo.Mr. D. O'Reilly.

Bunting, photo.
Mr. D. O'Reilly.

Richards, William Llewellyn, Ornamental Gate and Railing Maker, Locksmith and General Wrought-iron Worker, Rangitikei Street, Palmerston North. This business was established in the year 1905 by Messrs. Holben and Kirk, as a new departure, and was acquired by Mr. Richards in the year 1907. The premises stand at the rear of Messrs. Holben and Kirk's buildings, and are approached by a right-of-way from Rangitikei street The designing and manufacture of serviceable iron entrance gates is the principal feature of the works. Among the work which testifies to the enterprise and ability of Mr. Richards may be mentioned the gates and railings at the entrance to Messrs. Buchanan and Cohen's residences in the town. The repairing department for all classes of ironwork is also an important feature of the business, for which the most up-to-date appliances are kept. Mr. Richards was born in Montgomeryshire, Wales, in May, 1879, was educated at Wrexham, and afterwards apprenticed to his trade under Mr. F. E. Cleverly, of Devizes, Wiltshire, England. He subsequently found employment with Mr. Sterrett, ornamental gate maker and wrought-iron worker, of Wrexham, where he spent three years, chiefly as first assistant in the business. In 1905 he came to New Zealand, and was employed by the firm of Messrs. Holben and Kirk until establishing his present business. He married Miss Doggett, daughter of a well-known farmer of Palmerston North.