GRIFFITHS’S BISCUIT MANUFACTORY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4977, 6 March 1877, Page 3

GRIFFITHS’S BISCUIT MANUFACTORY.

There is nothing at the grgsent time which marks the great progress being made by the city of Wellington as a commercial centre so forcibly, as, the rapid increase of its local industries. Conspicuous among the institutions of our city is the subject of this article. Mr. Griffiths deserves every credit for tlie enterprising spirit he has shown since his connection with business in Wellington, for it is to such men that the country is indebted for the establishment of permanent prosperity. We are fast approaching that desideratum of being able to discover the means of supply at home, instead of being compelled to seek for it elsewhere. Mr. Griffiths for some time past lias given up the retail business which he originally carried on successfully in WilJis-street, and has established a manufactory in Parish - street, having gone to great expense in putting up the premises which adjoin the Bank Hotel. To most persons the practical working of a manufactory of this kind is almost as much a matter of mystery as used to be the printing-press in the early days of its use, or the organisation of a pieman’s stock-in-trade. And it may with perfect truth be said that to the uninitiated Mr. Griffiths’s establishment presents matter full of wonder and interest to the contemplation. But to describe the works. We commence with the biscuit department, which is of the greatest importance. First, then, we take a peep at a machine of peculiar construction, and very massive, which we should immediately take to he a bone-crusher or a bahy-smasher, but that we know neither bones nor babies form ingredients of biscuits; and furthermore, we are told that this is technically known to the enlightened as “ a mixer.” It is an American notion, and a very good one too, preventing the handling of the dough in the process of mixing, whilst the work is done with great rapidity and completeness. It is on the principal of a Chilian mill. The lower part is a large iron circular basin, and in that is suspended an immense roller of solid iron about "2ft. in diameter, and both pieces of machinery are set in motion in opposite directions, so that the dough is thoroughly made, and when that is accomplished, a boy, who is stationed in readiness there, scoops it out and conveys it to a complicated but beautiful piece of machinery standing about two yards distant. We experience the same want of accurate penetration respecting this part of the works, but on inquiry ascertain that it is the most interesting apparatus imaginable, the which opinion, after having made a personal inspection, we most heartily endorse. It is composed of two planing rollers, through which the dough is passed and comes out flat, of any thickness required, as there is a gua e for the purpose of moderating the size ; and it is then passed on to a wide belt of canvas, which, revolving round wooden rollers extending from one end of the machine to the other, takes the dough underneath the cutters, which with perfect regularity cut the biscuits into shape, with the impression of the firm’s name upon them; and as they come out thus formed they fall on perforated trays, which are moved forward on another band of canvas simultaneously with the action of the one above, and on the feeding side of the cutter. Passing by this machine we find ourselves in front of an immense structure, composed of brick and iron. This is the oven, one of McKenzie’s patent reel ovsns. It is in fact a large sized brick room bound with iron, and 1 inside is the reel—a series of 8 plates suspended from arms attached to air axle which is turned by the machinery in another part of the building. These plates are capable of holding an immense number of biscuits at one time. The room, or oven, can be heated to any degree required. The two furnaces are some feet below the level of the street, and the stokehole of a steamer is quite wintry in comparison with the atmosphere in the little place where the fireman is supposed to be on duty. Nothing but coke and anthracite coal is used, and the fire is smokeless—the heat being communicated to the oven by means of connecting flues. Great care is required in regulating the heat, as may be gathered from the fact that an incompetent fireman some time after the works were started put on so much pressure that the iron plates in the oven were actually bent crooked by the heat. This oven with the furnaces cost Mr. Griffiths no less than .£7OO, from which an idea may. be gathered of its size. The brickwork was done by Mr. G. R. Russell. Leaving the biscuit department, we may now glance at the confectionery works, and here again Mr. Griffiths shows his enterprise in having obtained the latest improvements in the machinery necessary for the manufacture on a large scale of sweetmeats of every description, and the samples turned out are quite equal to the productions of Home manufactories. The revolving pan and oscillating finisher are curious to look at, and the manner in which they turn out confectionery is surprising. All the machinery is driven by an engine of 12-horse power, made by G. Russell and Co., engineers, Gracechurch-street, London, and the connections are arranged with considerable ingenuity. In connection with this we may mention the great saving of labor obtained by the introduction of machinery, as shown by the fact that Mr. Griffiths only employs a foreman and two men on the lower floor, with a scattering of hoys, whilst in the upstairs department female labor is employed in the labelling business. On the second floor, also, the packing is done, goods being raised and lowered by machinery. A pleasing feature about the establishment is the cleanliness which distinguishes every department ; and the best material obtainable is alone used in the manufacture of goods. This may be seen by anyone who cares to visit the place, and we have great pleasure in repeating the words of Mr. Griffiths on the same subject, • that inspection is freely invited, so that the curious may see for themselves. Already Mr. Griffiths is doing a large export trade, in addition to supplying the town and suburbs of Wellington, and as the manufactory becomes better known the business cannot fail to increase largely. We wish Mr. Griffiths success, which he is really deserving of, and will no doubt secure.