THE ONEHUNGA STEAM BISCUIT MANUFACTORY.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1704, 4 August 1875, Page 2

THE ONEHUNGA STEAM BISCUIT MANUFACTORY.

The arrangements for building and fitting up the above are now so far complete, that the foundation of the building is laid, and the machinery has arrived per Flechero. The foundation is built of solid masonry, the material used being scoria, of which an abundant supply is to hand, some of the blocks used weighing more than half a ton. This substantial work was done by Mr Hoskins, who, some twenty years ago, built the scoria walls of the flour mill .The factory will, for the present, be a two-storied buildin» •' but, as the firm extend operations and require more room, an addition in height can with safety be built, owing to the wide basement, the size of the building will be 60 feet long by 30 feet wide. The machinery is from the well-known firm of T. and T. Vickars, enginers, Liverpool. The plant is of a similar kind to that generally in use, but is of greater producing power than any other in the province. A Vicar's patent travelling oven will be used, dimensions of which are 28 feet by 6 feet - capable xof baking 45 cwt. of bi cuits in ten hours. Biscuits will be lifted up on to the upper floor by elevators, worked by the mill engine, and, when packed in casec, will be lowered down a tramway in cars, worked also by steani power. The general working of the manufactory appears to be based on such utilitarian principles that the present flour mill will prove in every respect a valuable adjunct. The compound engine, lately erected in the mill by Mes3rs. Fraser and Tinne, is giving the greatest satisfaction. Messrs. Bycroft and Co. speak in high terms of praise oa the fact that, while this compound engine consumes but one-half the amount of fuel used by the high-pressure engine, it does double the work. The biscuit manufactory finds an auxiliary in the mill, which should make success certain. The engine will drive the entire biscuit-making plant, and be of great service in a variety of ways! The factory will be of brick, and as the material is to be delivered this week, there is every probability of the enterprise soon being an accomplished fact, and the establishment in full working order. It will of necessity take a long time to perfect all the arrangements incidental to such an undertaking, and it will not be fair to expect too much for the first few years, it is but the beginning of that which ultimately may prove itself the leading buscuit-factory in the colony. An English factory which started on a similar scale has now 1,500 hands regularly employed. If therefore this Onehuuga factory expands to such magnitude, every man, woman and child in. that village, may become expert buscuit-makers.