Heview of Reviewa, 119/06. 



Go Tlhead, Tlustralasia ! 



309 



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V'^r^'^ 



Sunshine Harvester at Work at Willaura, Vic 



vester of tht " Sunshine " type was produced at Bal- 

 larat in 1894, when Mr. McKay began to manu- 

 facture on his own account 



Since then the demand for the " Sunshine " Har- 

 vester has increased every year, and Mr. McKay has 

 had repeatedly to enlarge his works, until at the 

 present time the Bravbrook works alone cover an 

 area of from five to six acres. 



The result of the introduction of the Harvester 

 to the farmers of Australia has been to place them 

 in a position which is enjoyed by the fai"mers of no 

 other country in the world. The cost of harvesting 

 their grain has been very much lowered, onh 

 amounting to about 2s. per acre, not including oil 

 and sacks. Outside Australia the farmer pays from 

 I2S. to 18s. per acre for the same work, not includ- 

 ing l>ags, oil, or wear and tear of machinery. 



Looking at it from another standpoint, with the 

 " Sunshine " Harvester and other up-to-date farm- 

 ing implements, one man can do, himself, the whole 

 work of tilling, sowing and harvesting the wheat on 

 150 to 200 acres. , 



These are obvious advantages to the agricul- 

 turist, whether he be called Squatter or Settler, but 

 there are some very decided advantages to the com- 

 munit), which are perhaps sometimes overlooked. 

 Mr. McKay's policy is a forward one, and in build- 

 ing up one of the largest manufacturing concerns in 

 Australia he has always adopted methods 

 which would develop the powers of those 

 associated with him. He recognises that, 

 in the making of machinerj- of any kind, 

 perfection \\\\\ never be attained. There 

 will alwass be room for improvement, not 

 only in the finished product, but in the 

 method of turning it out. Thus, although 

 the harvesting season is necessarily a very 

 short one, his men are en-.ployed all th»' 

 year round, from New Year to New Year's 

 Eve, in the making of Harvesters. In con- 

 sequence, there are from 650 to 700 men 

 employed, who take a keen personal in- 



interest in the business. They are sure 

 of work. They are encouraged whilst at 

 work to look for easier methods and to 

 offer suggestions. Every employe, from 

 the heads of departments to the latest 

 apprentice and the office boy, has his own 

 work to do, and his own position to 

 fill. He is imbued with a sense of re- 

 sponsibility, with a feeling that he is an 

 integral and necessarj- part of the com- 

 bination, that he must do his work intel- 

 ligently and thoroughly ; that in doing it 

 he must put forth the best that is in him. 

 This is good for the man. It makes him 

 an individual. It develops his personality, 

 and keeps him from becoming a mere 

 cog in the machinery, and in this con- 

 nection it is not necessary to enlarge upon 

 the fact that since the inception of the busi- 

 ness it has not been necessary to reduce the 

 wages of any one man. It is good for the firm. The 

 workmanship is sound throughout. When the 

 season's orders begin to come in they do not have to 

 engage a large number of indifferent workmen to help 

 to fill them. The stocks are already there, made by 

 their own men, on whom they can rely. It is good 

 for the country, for it is impossible to estimate the 

 influence on the life and thought of any nation of 

 a body of highly-trained, industrious men engaged 

 in an occupation calling for the constant exercise of 

 their intelligence, discrimination and ingenuity. Such 

 a leaven as this in our midst is likely to permeate 

 the whole community with those qualities of cool 

 judgment, far-sightedness, resourcefulness, and per- 

 sonal courage which go to the making of a great nation. 

 Here we may point out that although the " Sun- 

 shine " Harvester of ten years ago was a splendid 

 working tool, not a year has since gone by without 

 improvements having l)een mide in the method of 

 production and in the machme itself which have 

 greatly enhanced its value, both from the stand- 

 point of reliability and simplicity. It now begins 

 and finishes the entire work of harvesting, taking 

 the heads of wheat from the standing crop in the 

 field, thrashing them thoroughly, and separating the 

 grain from the chaff and weed seeds, ultimately de- 



Sunshine Push Harvester. 



