THE KAIPARA AND WAITEMATA ECHO With WHICH IS INCORPORTED "The Kaipara Advertiser & Waitemata Chronicle." Helensville, Thurs'y, March 4, 1915 A STATE SAWMILL FOR HELENSVILLE

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 4 March 1915, Page 2

THE KAIPARA AND WAITEMATA ECHO With WHICH IS INCORPORTED "The Kaipara Advertiser & Waitemata Chronicle." Helensville, Thurs'y, March 4, 1915 A STATE SAWMILL FOR HELENSVILLE

THERE- are few Government bones about which come Helensville way, but when there happens to be one which would give us population, and, of course settlement, it is naturally to be inferred we are on the alert for a pick at it. There is no dog-and" the-shadow-bone about that. Yet there are others, too, on the alert, who want a pick at this, the State sawmill bone, which concerns the cutting-up of timber the manufacture of fruit and butter boxes, and the employment of labour upon a large scale.

The immense State forest at Waipoua, computed to comprise some 200,000,000 feet of timber, is situate about 10 miles from Kaihu, or say 28 miles the other side of Dargaville, and it could easily be floated to Koutu, Hokianga — though a great distance off—for cutting up there, and for which a mild agitation is already going on. But Dargaville, simply because it is Dargaville, lays premier claim to the industry, and has already planned its site for the mill almost in the centre of the town, laying claim to fresh water supply for steam purposes, and river water for carriage of the manufactured article to Helensville for trans-shipment by pil to Auckland and distribution over the Dominion. In fact, Dargaville has it all cut and dried for self, regardless of the economical working ot the timber or the greater profit to be made out of the industry were the State sawmill erected at Helensville, which has everything in its favour, and, therefore, the commissioners who were down here last week and went thoroughly into the whole question, must in reason recommend Helensville as the proper site for the mill to be erected.

Helensville can lay claim to many arguments and advantages in this respect, There are ample sites for booms, mills, and workers' dwellings; all in close proximity to the railway line. There would be a direct saving of at least 1/2 per 100 ft as between the towage of logs and the carriage of sawn timber from Dargayille, and but the one handling frqin mill to train of the manufactured article such as butter-boxes, front cases, doors, sashes, floor bQardsJ ' an,cf sawn timber generally. While again, for deep-water shipping, so close to the Kaipara harbour too, there is oyerythm<? in our favour.' Qn the pther hand again, a State mill jVqi»c midst would mean an additional 'population of 500 men, women and children : extra supplies, schools, and .produce from Southern ports at less' Ihaw 4ucklaud market prices, because of shipping, arriving freighted almost at ballast rates, and enabling them to get large a-nd assured cargoes in return, a^e many other adyantages Which CQui<i be adduced on l/ehajf pf'the'Staie and the pt?piitatian around," b'ujt we think we have here MckGred sufficient for the one picking ef the bone, and would hope the poweivs that be will see with eyes fair, square', a^d S.boye board.