THE KIWI FLOUR MILLS, HAMILTON.

Waikato Times, Volume XII, Issue 976, 24 September 1878, Page 2

THE KIWI FLOUR MILLS, HAMILTON.

The staining the new and imoroved machinery at the Kiwi flour mills, was made the occasion of a public festivity on Saturday afternoon, when a large number of frends and visitors were assembled by the proprietor, Captain G. M. Beere, t.o celebrate the commencement of a new era m the history of the Kiwi mills. • Uufortunately the weather was unfavorable or more than one hundred persons would have been, present to partake of the ample hospitality provided for them by the pi'oprietor. About 2 o'clock the visitors began to assemble, and were shown over the premises by Captain Beere, who explained the action and various portions of the machinery. The principal additions, which are important oues, have been a new pair of stones and a large apparatus for silk dressing the flour. Both were much meeded, and now there is no reason why the Kiwi mills should not turn out as good flour as the best that cau be imported into the district from Auckland. If the proprietor take care to do this, we see no reason why the future of the mih may not be one of continuous prosperity, for the trade at its doors is a large one, and prosperity too not. only for its proprietor, but for the district. The establishment and carrying on of a large business means a large annual expenditure of money m wages and other ways, and m this instance it means the encouragement of what is too much neglected by our settlers, the grown h of wheat, which m its turn again, means increased expenditure an<i circulation as well as production of money, for wheat, unlike grass, cannot be produced but by the annual expenditure of a considerable amount m tillage. Captain Beere has now done his purt, and if, as we are justified m believing, the improved machinery will result m the production of \ first-class quality of flour, storekeepers and others will, we trust, be found doing theirs m giving the preference to a local industry, the encouragement of which will by increasing the general prosperity of the district still further indirectly benefit them. Farmers too, will find a ready sale for wheat at their doors, and no longer contiuuo to neglect the growth of wheat which m older countries, and with less advantages of soil and climate than they have, is the main stay of agriculture. With the labor saving machinery for agricultural operations iv general use which our Waikato settlers possess, the old cry of dear labor should be no longer urged as au obstaole to what we may fairly term legitimate farming. Those travelling on the road from Hamilton to Ohaupo, when passing the premises, would have little idea how large and commodious a building stands down m the gully to the left. Only the roof of the large three storey building can be seen. The machinery is worked by an undershot wheel of 20ft. diameter, and there is plenty of power to spare. There is i a very complete workshop with turning lathe and other appliances on the ground floor for performing nil necessary repairs on the premises, and large granary rooms for the storing of grain m the main building

* SSSteifife? 6 struck us as beautif^^ptfraiTdwell kept and though mauy: of the visitors, especially the ladie^oodldLscarcely be expected to unde^na ||c working of the different |t{|para]|ij|, there was a genergj. expression dfysurprise at the extent and completpiess of the premises and machinery; After full justice had been done by both juveniles and their elders to ohe good things provided, the Mayor of Hamilton proposed the health of Mr and^ Mrs Beere, and prosperity to the Kiwi mill. When he" first came to Hamilton.he said,it. was but a small place consisting of a few hd»ses and stores by the river, and even then the Kiwi mills were m existence. Hamilton had since grown into a rising- and prosperous borough and he saw no reason why, if people would only do thpir dnty to themselvef m supporting 100 l industries, tlie mill under the new auspices on which it was entering should not share m the generl prosperity and advancement of the district. Oaprain Beere, m responding, thanked those present for the cordial manner m which they had drunk the toast to himself and wife, and prosperity to the mill. His only regret was that through the inclemency of the weather so many had • been prevented from present. 1 The mill as many of them were ! awa.ro had bpen started as a company : by the early Waikato settlers and ; under the difficulties inseparable from 1 early settlement m a district where there was little means of road com- [ raunication and where 1 c settlers were afflicted with periodical native panics. But little wheat was ihen [ arrcwn. The first sack was put L through m 1872. and that year only , 500 bushels were ground. The ■ company worked the' mill unsatisfactorily and he had then leased the L properly and had now mndearrangements by which he was the sole ■ proprietor. Seeing- ample scope for a large business he had put np the ' new machinery tlie opening of which they had that day met to celebrate. ! In 1874, the new wheel had given ; a grent advantage m power and m that year 1800 bushels of grain were ! ground and during the last three ■ years they had ground from 6,000 to 7.000 bushels of grain yearly with one pair of stones. They had had m Waikato the great disadvantage however of three bad wheat seasons and he had had to purchase very indifferent material. Nevertheless, he saw a good future and plenty of work for the mill m the supply of Hamilton and its immediate districts alone. He trusted the settlers would go m for the growth of wheat. They 1 had now a market for it at their doors. From being a mill capable of gristing 1 merely for surrounding settlers, it was equal to the work ■ j of grinding 36,000 bushels of wheat yearly. It ' woujd take 50,000 ■ bushels of wheat to, supply Hamilton alone, and the ■■• j^hole of wheat m Waikato did not exceed 20,000 bushels annually. A large sum was thus sent away out of 1 (he district for what could* be grown and manufactured amongst them. It was to be regretted that the farmers ■ of the district paid.so little attention to the growth of wheat. Waikato had proved iteelf the best wheatgrowing country m the colony — equal, indeed, to South Australia. Nothing had ever mrpassed the ■ richnessof Te Awamutu-grown wheat m the qaalityf..f£ the flour produced from it. The farmers, however, were to blame for the production of inferior grain. They were m too <?mil a hurry m the saving of their crops — they got them m anyhow. ■ That sort of thing would not do, 1 The millers must have a different system adopted if they were to become the purchasers of locally-grown wheat. They would make a stand against the system of buying any rubbish as it came, which now prevailed. The thing- could not go on, for, unless they got good wheat, they uould nob turn out good flour. They must come to the plan pursued m the markets at home of buying from sealed samples, the bulk being delivered of equal quality to the sample showu. Millers did not get what they bought. So far as the mill was concerned, it had been brought iute a condition to supply the district, provided the residents aud storekeepers would take the flour. He intended shortly to erect the necessary machinery for grinding oatmeal, of which a large quantity was used. In conclusion, he thanked the company present for their attendance, and for the kinkness with which the toast p:oposed by the Mayor had been responded to. Captain Beere then propose'! the health of the late Kiwi Mill Company, coupling the toast with the name of one of its first members, Mr Alfred Cox. Mr Cox said he had almost forgotten the matter alluded to, but had great pleasure m congratulating #apt. Beere on tho well appointed premises m which the business was now being carried on, and hoped, as he indeed believed must be tho case, that the enterprise of the proprietor would meet the encouragement it deserved at tho hands of the consuming public. As to the whwit growing industry, that, too, he hoped, w<<uld receive a stimulus. Ho would mention one circumstance for the benefit of Waikato settlers, whiah the occasion brought to his memory. When down m Canterbury some time since, that great wheat producing district of New Zealand, he had with him a sample of Waikato grown wheat, and 'wherever lie showed it, amongst the most experienced persons, ho was always met I with the remark, " Oh, I know whero that conies from. It's outh Australian grown."' It was m fact always taken for Adelaide wheat. It had the peculiarity P'-.rJSGSscd by Adelaide wheat, that when poiuvd out m the light, it was tranparent, wliirh the miller knew meant, that it would yive more flour and less bran and belter iiuur than ofchor wheat. This was

an encouraging faot for the Waikato farmer. It would tell for the district, . and tell, he hoped, for the Kiwi Mill too. ? He wished Capt. Beere the Bucoesfc hisl enterprise deserved. The toasts Of the press arid the ladies having been severally proposed and ro- , sponded to, the visitors, with the exception of the juveniles, who have the same) privilege m eating as Irishmen have ;in speaking, to repeat the operation, left for their several homes.