PULPING MILL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 456, 14 February 1933, Page 4

PULPING MILL

(Special to "Post")

FURTHER STEP MADJ NEGOTIATIONS TO ACQUlRpl FURTHER BLOCK OF I BUSH I V | ERECTION OF PLANT 1

Whakatane, Mondaj A proposal to estahlish the wdofl pulplng industry in the Bay 0S Plenty district advanced a ste3 further during the week-end, a party of' technical advisers an* experts of Timberlands Wood Pulpl Limited, visited the district, a„J after conference with the loca« hody authorities in Whakatane proS ceeded to the company's camp neaj Te Teko, where the experts are aa present appraising the possihiIitiel of a block of standing hush on tram line of G. Simes and' CompanJ over .which the company has aj quired an option. | The company also has an optiol over Messrs. Simes and CoinpanyJ tram linfe and timber mill at Edgl cumbe. If the block under inspectiol which comprises standing bush Qgl 000 acres in extent comes up to el pectation, it is stated that the coiil pany will proeeed immediately -^tl the erection of the proposed pufpij mill. This will give employment ti 400 men. | Further Block Acquired 1 The present position is that thl company's 41,000 acres at Kaingaroj Plains is practically fully planted atiJ a further 21,000 acres, adjoining- tlij Matahina block (G. Simes and Comj pany's property) has been acquirej Planting is being started immediatell on this area, and arrangements ari being made to. bring the neces?ad equipment to the sffe. 'i

Ofncers making investigations aaj Matahina are. — Prof essor H. H. Oorl bin, technical adviser to .the companyl Mr. C. O, Gibb, director and Mr. tyfl An'derson, plantation manager. 9 In connection with the plantmij operations on the newly acquireS block it is estimated that it will fully planted within two years. ■ Better Roadmg Access I If the option over Matahina is exer-8 cised, better roading access will hm required, and extensions will beH made to the electrical supply system.B It is understood that these mattej were the subject of eonferences belj tween local authorities at Whakatane on Saturday morning, which were at-1 tended by Mr. H. A. Horrocks, thel company's attorney, Mr. C. 0. Gibb,| director, Mr. R. P. Worley, eivil en-i gineer and Mr. Anderson, plantationi manager. i At the conclusion of the conferenc-| es, the Mayor of Whakatane, Mr. "W.l Sullivan, thahked the company's re-l presentatives for their attendance and J wished the project every success. I Subsequently Mr. Horrocks statedl that if the negotiations are success-| ful, the ere-ction of a mill to produce! 26,000 tons of wood pulp yearly willj be proceeded with, and employmentl will be provided for 400 men. i It is understood that the actual sitel of the mill has not been decided uponj yet. Prof essor Corbin stated that thel situation of the timber is ideal forj the pulping project. . It is understood that the mill of thel description proposed will require aj special power line from Arapuni, and] 300 dwellings will be built to house! the staff. Mr. L. A. de Guere, consulting engineer, of Wisconsin, U.S.A., will arrive"in New Zealand toward the end of the month to assist and advise on j the initial organisation. Great interest is being taken in the i project in the Bay of Plenty district, and it is felt that if the company proceeds with its plan, local industry will reeeive a tremendous fillin.