NUMBER AND CAPACITY OF OUR SAWMILLS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 271, 9 June 1888, Page 6

NUMBER AND CAPACITY OF OUR SAWMILLS.

As showing the extensive character of the Auckland timber industry we quote the following article from " Brett's Auckland Almanac " for 1886 : — "Mr J. A. Walker, of the Helen&ville Timber Company, has collected some valuable statistical information regarding 1 the timber industry in Auckland, the particulars of which well deserve to be placed on permanent record. The saw-mills of Auckland, Mr Walker mentions, number about thirty. " These embrace every kind of mill, from the magnificently-appointed mill of the Auckland Timber Comjwiny to the ' drummer ' who isalway- open to undertake to deliver ten thousand feet per week, but who can never manage to deliver more than that quantity in three months. Of course you will understand that I use the word magnificent in relation to the abovenamed factory in a machinery sense, for it is without a doubt the best appointed and most complete timber mill and factory south of the Line. The kauri timber industry undoubtedly overshadows all other industries in New Zealand for extent and importance, the amount of capital employed being about £685,000. Although the figures given below to make up the different totals must be to some extent approximate, yet I believe the totals are very jaear correct. The following list will show the amount of capital invested :—

* ! Union Sash and Door Company, i paid up capital .. ". 150,000 Auckland Timber Company 120,000 New Zealand Timber Company 55,000 Mercury Bay Timber Company .. 37,500 Helonswllo Timber Company . 8,000 *\Yaikato Timber Company, invested in limber . 3,500 Porfc Albert Sawmills .. . 8,000 ♦Thames River . 5,000 !*Ohino«ai ... 6,000 Shortland Sawmill Company 35,000 i *Uibbons's Mill .' . . 2,000 Hokianua . . . 40,000 •M. 11. Hoc, Onohunga 12,000 ♦Waikaro 5,000 lHkiuano-i 4,000 Kuui'uru (Lani^an) . 5.000 'Whan^aroa (two milU) 7,000 •OUaihau . 2.000 Mvankaii 10,000 *Hma 3,000 -Wlialum s<ooo5 < 000 Kopuiu M-000 . 6,000 Sehappe and Ansenne 25,000 Otho! imiN 20,000 Total ... ln\e-ted in bu>h woik, getting out baulk bquared, about 54,000 Total 678,000 -The names of the companies which are preceded by an asterisk are not included in the purchases made by the syndicate, some of them having bssn closed during 1 the past two years. Several large bushes in the r hands of private persons have I also" been seeurjd by the syndicate. 1 The productive capaciu oHhe null- when v,oikm<' i- estimated a^ follow** : - Sup. Ft. I'oit Albeit Thame-Kr.er 10,000 Shot Hand 70 - tlo ° Monconm 120,000 iHokiaiuri 100,000 Whanir.ipoua, two mill? 160, G00 Kaunl'oint 6<»,0i»0 I Meu'U'.N Ij^y, woikeil tiiirht and Taiui.i 250,000 Waikaio '10.000 ll.kiuan-i N-'imnu W.')oo Wlian-aioa ISO. 000 | Okaihau y0 < 000 'A.atuui 250.0U0 'Kankmi <> n - 00 ° i Hnui -°' COJ , Whamn: W™ ' Kopuiii lot ), 000 (Helensulle 70.0-10 iTmua ™< m i Auckland Timber Conu-anv, Auckland mill 100,000 Union Sa>h and Poor Comp<inj, Aut-klai.d mill A0 ' 000 New Zealand Timber C ompain , Auckland mill 40,000 Total output, per week 2,205,000 "Allowing two week^ tui hohda\^ and ' multipl\in<: tin.- weekh -niMit !■>> 50, and deductuiL r 30 per cent, i . -Uippa^, want !ot lo^r-. etc., the total output ikl innum l|B2 miltu'n feet of -.nui tunbei Th<> a'>o\.> I amourt of siwn timl.ei, -nppoMiv.r_ Hie ia\eiaae 10-t- in eoiiNci-ion to be 25 pel ! cent r>epw^enU 102 uiilUom fc« I ofiound loc/n Add to \h\* the -lnptnent oi r-cjuaic baulk, -vbouo sc\en million I*ht, ami «f i'l.i^e a ui.in-l total ot 109 milluu bet ot ' -tancimt. kaiui tunbei cuii-umod .umu.ilh The .ictuni e\poit uf >awn kauu tiinbei for 1884, accotdnifi to the <;<u eminent return-, na s 25 millions and of lou- 5 million--, -o that, if Mi Walk r'- e-timat-be couect, the timbei nm-t be di^f nbuttd about a- iollowt? • — Ft. pei an. Export 30,000.000 South !■: 000,000 Locally 49,000 000 Total 89.000.00 U Value, about L500,l)00 The abo\e 40 million- would emphn o\ei 53,000 to'i-ot slnpjnrijT to fan \ it t^.ninib de-tination«. The numlier ot men employed in bu-he- and mi.l- i- about 2.200 Wa^e^- paid Alt Walkei estimate- at Foi i»u-lnvork, about t'126.000 Mill w oik 91307 Total 'i 0 307 The value of the 30 n.ilhon feet evn.ntt >\ iS declaied at t'1.")2,737, and t.ikmu \hv i> ■ maincle)' of t!«o timbei n-ml on t.he in>e the sahie of l\v v.lmh' piodti' 'ion will be about L' 450.000