View report page

13
Oil Refining.
This firm carry on the business of oil refining and distilling. Via
the canal, the firm receive from abroad tons of crude oil in tank barges.
The oil is placed in large stills and distilled. The refined oil is sold as
lubricating oil for machinery generally. According to the distilling
process it has been through, the resultant oil is classified in different
weights; thus, there is heavy oil for cylinders, etc., on the one hand,
and light oil for sewing machines on the other.
Resin. This is brought in barrels and distilled for the purpose of
making printers' ink. The resin is purified and refined for various
commercial processes, e.g., for polishes for hats, for gums and
varnishes, etc.
Pitch. This is distilled and oil is added and is treated according to
grade or quality of the pitch required.
24 men are employed, for whom there are four pedestal w.c.'s with
glazed brick surroundings, and three urinals; these are excellent.
Owing to the nature of the process, things are dirty generally.
Confectionery Works.
This firm is engaged in the manufacture of boiled sweets and
chocolates. The premises consist of a one-storey building which is
well lighted and ventilated. These premises were not made originally
for the purpose of confectionery making, but have been adapted for the
purpose. The process consists of boiling refined cane sugar and glucose
in gas heated copper pans. Various other ingredients are added
according to the particular sweet which is being made (various fruit
flavours, butter, peanuts, cocoanut, raisins, tartaric acid—for acid
drops). The whole mass is run out upon tables and is moulded or
pressed into different shapes, or rolled out into long stalks and cut off
to the required length. The chocolate used at these works is imported
ready made from Holland and is melted and used for encasing various
sweetmeats. All the ingredients used are imported ready for the
process of manufacture, with the exception of the peanuts, which are
roasted in a rotary roaster, with the object in view of removing the
outer skin and cooking the nut.
Cleanliness. The workrooms have been colour-washed throughout
and the floors covered with fresh sawdust daily. If this were not
b