OPENING OF THE HAMILTON FLOUR MILL.

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 36, 23 July 1872, Page 2

OPENING OF THE HAMILTON FLOUR MILL.

At noon o»sSatnrday, the 20th ineK, a number of shareholSera settlers (about2oo) from various parts of .tne district aeeetnbled to, witness tlie, smarting of the Hamilton Flour Mill. The'inill is erected on creek, on property purchased by the ■ shareholders about sW' months »g<> Thefo are several other falls on the same creek (before it empties it.self into the Waikato river) suitable for erecting mills upon, so that tiie com-pauy-may- be oongratiilated ou having such a valuable property. The mill is a substantial three-storied builcjingj-and has been .erected on the most approved principles, under the superintendence of Mr If. Palmer, of the Mahuraugi Mills. On the lower floor is placed tlie driving gear in connection with the water-wheel, and the separator which receives the wheat and passrs it ia to the emuttiug machine, after Wriich it goes through fans. Being'thus'thoroughly cleaned, it is sent to the second floor .by winding-up and lowering gear combined, and is sent over the stones,, the meal from which goes direct) to the silk-dreseer, and is brought to the different spouts by an Arcbim dein screw. This machine is on the most improved, principle, and is laid perfectly horizmit.il, the Archimedean screw performing nil that was done by the old incline with less speed and power. The upper storey is intended for the storing of wheat, etc. Very little manual lnbor will be required in the manufacture of the flour. The directors also inie'ud erecting a kiln and other apparatus for manufacturing oatmeal, which they purpose selling at the rate of Is 8d per bushel of. 40.be;. also gristing wheat, at "Is. per bushel.

Shortly after one o'clock the wheel was started, and Mrs Captain Beere broke a bo tie of wine on it, wishing success to Kiwi Flour Mill—the rest of the speech was inaudible from the cheering that ensued. The machinery worked very smoothly, and all who possessed a knowledge of such things pronounced everything perfect.

A cold collation was tlien partaken of by the company, which was laid out in the upper storey, on a table ■ groaning 'nenth the good thing's of this life. A relay of the table was necessary, and when all had " refreshed the inner man," Captain Beere took the chair, vV. N. Searanclce, E:-(J., vic-3.. When all the quests, smong whom were a great number of the fair sex, had become seated, the Chairman proposed the ton? , - of success to the Kiwi Flour Mill. In d->ing so he was happy to see so m-iriy pre-ent, and heartily welcomed all. Three years ago the idea was .mootod, but only took a dVfi lite shape, .twelve months since, when ■ a eonpahy was formed with a cipitil of £000, in 000 shares of£l eac'», and ")00 shares huve been taken up out of the (J'H, leaving 100 shares to be disposed of. Tiitmill has cost about i-600, and reflects μ-reat credit on Messrs. Parker and Flemniing , , all the arrangements being very simple aad effective, and congratulated the shaieholdera on its successful completion. The directors propose increasing the capital £2-)0, for the erection of a kiln and other machinery for grinding oatmeal. The mill has been leasnd

to Mr Fleming , fur fuurieen years at a royaity of fid on evv'ry bushel of wheat ground, ;ui'l, he f.illy anticipaietl a good dividend next yenr t us it is capable of turning out se.ven or eigli t>nsof flour per week. The toast was cordially lesponded to.

The Vice-Chah-man proposed a vote ol thanks to the. directors for the time they had devoted to the interests of the shareholdersand said, 1 look upon this mill as ouly the precursor of numbers of others. I can reinomber the time when there were thirteen mills at work in this dislrict, and 50,000 bushels of wheat grown in it yearly, and I hope the settlers will grow wheat to support .such ventures, and b}' that means retain the money in the district which every year goes out of it for flour. I can see.no reason why we should not have cloth mi I Is..established,, and hope to see the settlers- weaving tweed manufactured in the Waikato. Toast heartily responded to. The contractor, Mr Palmer's health was next proposed, and drunk with great enthusiasm- . . ■ : Mr Palmer in responning said he felt flattered at the hearty way in which his health had been drank, and hoped to see other mills erected in the district' In snch a district in America the inhabitauts would have their own cloth, paper, ai\d other mills at work, and he . hoped to see them here ere long- A little more enterprise ou the part of the settlers in such matters would, be the means of making them independent uf other places ; bnt he was sorry to say the Government did not give the encouragement to local manufactures they ought r and instanced the distillery in Auckland, on which £10,000 had been spent, and ihe Governrrieiit wanted to charge 2s more duty in addition to the 4s imposed. He then proposed the health <>f the directors, which was drunk with all the honors. Captain Beere briefly replied; Mr Morris in responding eaid the company were somewhat in debt ; he had still on hand 100 shares for sale, and wished those present to purchase. Hβ believed the veatnre to be a paying one, as they found before starting the Company that .£4,000 went out of Hamilton every year for flour, The directoss iutended

wheat to be ground for Is pej: basheh and 1 oats or maize crushed for 8U and9d. He had much pleasure iu proposing the health of the farmers and settlers- coupled'with the names ef Captain Steele ami Mr Hanoi man. Drunk With all;the honors./ . i * Captain Steele, in reply, said "it gives mo great pleasure being present here to-lay to ■'witness the sneeess attending, the efforts of Ihe first joint-stock company started in the Waikat >. I cannot say the settlers want energy, but as joint-stock companies have hitherto .not, beon a successJ,i3his , through bad muiiageiud.it, it makes them . wary how they invest; but to show that I have ' 'great, faith in this venture, 1 will tako ten shares just now. I grew wheat aume.years . ago and had to boil it for my horses, there being- no mill to grind it at. I hope to se> not only flour-mills but wool and paper-mills skirted here. Our own manufacture of woollen goods would drive English shoddy out of j the market, lie had worn Nelson tweed till he was almost ashamed of being seetT in the exit so long —he might say it was never ending, and had no doubt capital would flow in ; readily for the purpose of starting such i Industrie? i' sufficient confideuea could b u place lin t ;, e management. Mr Runciman said snch ventures as this • gave a great impetus to the growth of wheat. | In 1858, the Maoris grew and exportel from t'lis district 30,000, bushels from Kawhia, 22,000, from Orea, 18,000, and from Whaingaroa, 8,000, making a total from the Waikato distr : cfc of 7t>,000 bushels of wheat in one year, and he hoped the time was not far distant when we shall not only be ab'e to supply ourselves, but export, and hoped to see woollen fac'ories "started. Not above ten years ago the factory at Nelson was not as "large as the room we are in at present, and only turned out about 90 yards a month, now he believed they could turn out 900 yards in the same time, and the demand far exceeded the supply. Eighteen months ago he offered wool, well washed, for 9d per pound and at the same time paid 15d per pound for it manufactured, which was assuredly a good, margin for manufacturing, and must pay any Company that liked to engage in it. Mr Henry Palmer proposed the health of the ladies, which was drunk ill a most enthusiastic manner, Mr Highly replied on their behalf. Mr Morris proposed (he Gentlemen of the Press, couplcd with the naine of oMr Jones. Mr Jones replied Mr Highly proposed the health of the Chairman an 1 Vice-Chairman. I Captain Bee re and W. N. Searancka, Esq., J R.M., replied. This concluded a very plea- ; sant meeting, and the company took their ! several ways homeward.