THE NEW MALTING ESTABLISHMENT AT WETHERSTONES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 369, 1 July 1874, Page 2

THE NEW MALTING ESTABLISHMENT AT WETHERSTONES.

This building, the property of Messrs. Bastings and Kofoed, of tho Black Horse Brewery, is now nearly completed. Mr. A. Humphrey, the contractor, has had many difficulties to contend with in the course of its construction, both material and skilled labor being very hard to obtain. Had it not been for this, the building would have now been ready for the reception of barley. The building is detached from the brewery, but it is the intention of the proprietors to erect another wing to the block, and join the malthouse to the brewery by a bridge. The malting house is a very substantial structure, and will, when finished and fitted with working appliances, coat about £1000. The lower walls are of stone, and the upper portion of brick. The whole of the timber used is colonial, and the roofing is done with shingles, as a preventive of frost which is damaging to the malt. The lower floor is to be of concrete. This compartmeat is 42 feet by 26, and will be used for germinating the barley after it has gone through the process of steeping in a tank, which will be built for that purpose. The upper floor is 42 feet by 27, and will be Hsed principally Jfor storage purposes, for which it is well adapted. Appliances for the rapid discharge and delivery of loading will be provided. Adjoining the main building is the kiln, and drying room. The former is built in the usual manner — the furnace is entirely of brick and concrete, with a floor of puddled clay. Coke will be used for fuel, which from experience is found best to answer the purpose. Above the kiln the malt will be Bprcad on wire netting supported by iron rods. In some establishments of a similar kind tiles are used ; but the proprietors consider that the wire netting will best answer their purpose. No expense has beea spared to mako the building complete in every respect, and the appliances to be used in the business are of the most modern description. The quantity of malt the proprietors will be enabled to turn out annually will more than supply the wants of the district, even with a large increase of their present business, thus showing the confidence of this enterprising firm in the future prosperity of Tuapeka. This new industry will largely benefit the agriculturists in the neighborhood, by giving them encouragement to produce a good sample of barley, for which they will have a ready cash market. For first use the proprietors have on hand 2000 bushels of barley purchased from Mr. James Smith, of Greenfield Station. From the ready sale this gentleman's produce has always met with in the Dunedin market, we may safely conclude that it is a superior article. The soil in the vicinity of Greenfield Station is of a light, sandy nature, eminently adapted for the growth of this cereal j and, judging from the late splendid harvest, it will not be the fault of the raw material if the manufactured article is not a very superior quality. Immediately on the completion of the building, which will take under ordinary circumstances about three weeks, malting will commence, and we trust that the firm will meet with the support and success which their enterprise so deservedly meritß.