TE ARO SAWMILL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4434, 5 June 1875, Page 2

TE ARO SAWMILL.

We observe that Messrs. Greenfield and Stewart, the proprietors of the above-men-sawmill, one of the most thriving concerns in the city, or indeed the province, have' recently been improving their property and power of supply. Another storey has been added to the mill, which will about double the accommodation previously enjoyed, and besides this, a quantity of new machinery has* been imported, mating yet more complete the already extensive ‘plant. At every point whizzing, whirling wheels testify the adaptation of labor-saving machinery to every conceivable purpose, and indicate that the proprietors understand the motto of the times—a maximum of production at. a minimum expenditure of manual labor. Of the many machines in use in this establishment, perhaps one of the most striking is that employed for planing, tonguing, and grooving timber. By means of this, the work which a few years back would have necessitated three distinct processess, is now performed in one simple operation ; and as an instance of the powers of the contrivance, we may mention that a couple* worked by four or five men in this establishment, turn out 16,000 or 17,000 feet per day.. There are several other machines equally economic in their character employed here, such as a band saw—an endless band of steel, serrated at one edge, and revolving as a strap on two wheels a distance apart—by means of

which the most intricate ornamental designs in wood may be sawn out with remarkable precision and expedition. There are also tennouing saws, boring, morticing, and moulding cutting machines, circular saws, face plate for turning ornamental circles, &c. Most of these

are situate on the ground floor, and are all driven by a sixteen-horse power high-pressure engine. There are two boilers for generating steam, a peculiar feature in connection with which is the fact that no coal is used, the chips, shavings, &c.,.which are found capable ■of giving sufficient heat, being utilised for the purpose. The second and newly-built story is at present principally devoted to the carpentering part of the business. Some nineteen hands are here kept constantly at work in making up doors and door and window sashes, and a couple of men at turning ; but more machinery will also be erected upstairs as soon as possible. Besides this main building, there is a glazier’s shop and glass store, where men are kept in full work glazing sashes ; there is also a general store and the indispensable counting house. Altogether, between forty and fifty men are employed in the establishment, and others are engaged in the work of transportation of large quantities of timber from country districts to the mill.