OROUA MILL.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 50, 21 June 1879, Page 2

OROUA MILL.

About a mile beyond the Taonui, and close to the Oroua Birer, .stands the Oroua mi!L ; tbypi'opef ty of Mr. C. Bull. It is the oldest mill m this portion of' the North-Is-land, baring been erected by Mr; James. Bull more than sir, years «gp. It^is'also the laygeit iii operation at the present time. Thesjied is about 100 feel; by 120, ann the breaking-dovm bench is of Uan^ jmproTed coriatvuctionj the bench travellmg beyond the nirie-fobt vertical /to the fictcher skid*. The fletche^ cut by a circular sftvr four fe«i m diameter, aud t'ae ripping performed

by a similar one, a foot lei«. The engin* n a horizontal on*, imported, of 23-horse-power. s The boiler v a huge piece of work* ..." minship, tw«nty>one feet long by tix- m diameter, on the Cornish principle. "Til* fly-wheel is akb of gigantic proportione, . being thirteen feet m diameter, and weighing upwards of five tons. The out-put if on an average, 40,090 feet per week. At tbe side i of the saw-m ill is a planing and matching machine, capable of turnmg^out. 3000 feet day, Th# bush -tern which ffie iimber is obtained is an extensive on* of 2300 acres. .For two miles along th» . river bank £:• bush is exclusively totera, : but further ialand, rimu, matai, and white pine prey.vi. In addition io this,' il?. Bull has 120 acres of cleared Und, freehold. T h ere are. . several wooden tramways /to ;.' va'-ious parts of the busb, amounting m all to about three miles. Twenty-one liands are employed, forwhom twenty houses »ad. cottages have been erected. The cost of the plant and working stock, exclusive of the land, cannot he less than £5600.|, The enr."?9 working of the mill is cone by contract, , : »j;?. Adsell being the cont:-actor for cutting, logging, and loading, t'ae working expense! being over? £200 a month. : : "