MESSRS BYCROFT AND CO.'S CITY FLOUR MILLS.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1259, 24 July 1880, Page 2

MESSRS BYCROFT AND CO.'S CITY FLOUR MILLS.

Waikato settlers visiting Auckland will not have failed to notiec the substantial mills erected by Messrs Bycroft and Co., fronting Shortland-street. These mills occupy nearly the whole area of the allotment, extending from Shortlandstreet to Chancery-street, a depth, of 180 feet, with a frontage of 66 feet to Short-land-street. In appearance the buildings are of a plain character, with neat, circular-headed windows, pilasters, and a bold cornice supported on ornamental cautilevera, and altogether present a business-like aspect. The buildings on the Shortlnnd-street frontage are five storeys in height, including the basement storey, which h b4ow the level of the street. Me^-is Bycroft and 00. have found it incumbent on them, with a view to carrying on their very rapidly increasing business, not only to build these large premi&es, but also to import new machinery, and generally to greatly increase their plant. The biscuits manufactured by this firm have a well-earned reputation as beins: quite eqiiril to the imported article, and the manufacture of biscuits is a spiciithte of the film. The biscuit manufactory erected on the Chancery-street frontage is now in full work. It consists ot a building built of brick, covered with iron, its dimensions are 60 x 30, and it is three storeys in height. The basement is divided into two departments, separated by an archway which affords entrance from Chancery street foi drays. In one of these departments' 00 x 40, is placed the machinery and oven for hard dough biscuits. The machinery consists of mixer, brake and cutting machines ; al&o the oven, which is a patent travelling one. The biscuits are placed upon it at one end and passing through it come out at the other end baked, where they tall on to an endless band which conveys them to au upper illoor, where they are placed in the packing room. In this department there are also the foundations laid for another travelling oven, which anived last week by the Famenoth, believed to be the only ono of the Kind in the colony. This oven will be used for fancy biscuits only. Another machine a\ ill al&o be put up shortly, everything necessary being already on the premise-,, namely, a cutting, scrap separating, and pauniug machine, which cuts the biscuits and places them on trays, any *,'ue from butternuts to cabin biscuits. In the other basement floor is a room GO x 23, where all the soft dough biscuits are made. Heie there is an ordinary baker's oven, route machine, mixing pan and roller, and conveniences for boiling cp- knell*, ice. In this compaitmfnt .'s situated a wooden vat, the water being kept hot by hteam and where the various vessels used are scoured and cleansed. A steam hoist and cage is situated here, which pn&so up and down through the tiap'loois on the various floors, receiveb and distiibiues goods. &c. The second story is divided into four departments, packing room for cabin biscuits, packing room for fancy bi&cuits, mixing room, and general receiving and delivering room ; there is shelving room for 800 boxes. On this floor is a tank filled with water, kept hot by steam, where all the utensils of that department are cleansed, and everything kept scrupulously clean. In the mixing room for fancy work, which is under the special supervision of Mr. Roberts, the foreman of the Biscuit Factory (formeily an employe of the celebrated firm of Huntloy and Palmer, of London), are kept all the accessories necessary to the mysteries of fancy biscuit makinsr. Nothing but the be t loaf sugar, which is crushed almost to the fineness of flour is permitted to be used, and the same remark is equally applicable to the butter used. As showing the variety of biscuits manufactured at this establishment we give a list, which can scarcely be called complete : — Arrowroot (rich), arrowroot, African, almond drops, Abernethv, Aberj nethy (small), Bermuda, biscuit drops, i biscuit powder, Brighton, captains (thin), cabin, carraway wafer, chocolate biscuit, cracknell, coffee, currant Tunbridge, citron, cinnamon, cocoanuts, corning, digestive, finger biscuit, French drops, tiaribaWi, ginger biscuit, ginger wafer, ginger nuts, Jamaica, lemon biscuit, lemon drops, lemon wafer, lime, lunch (sweet), lunch (plain), maizena, macaroons, navy, oriental, orange wafer, Osborne, picnic, Presburgs, pearl, Queen's, Queen's route, Queen's drops, rings, ran soujo. route, rusk, raspberry, ratafias, raspberry cHaps, saloon, Savoy, soda, seed Tunbridgfc}, sultanas, Shrewsbury, spice mi's, strawberry drops, travellers', tea biscuits, tops and bottoms, Victoria, vanilla wafer, water cracker, and -\v iue. The mills are well worthy of inspection, and we feel assured that Waikato settlers happening to have an hour to spare when in Auckland will receive a hearty webome and courteous reception at Messrs Bycroft and Co.'s new mills.

What you attempt, do with all your strength. Determination is omnipotent. If the prospect be somewhat darkened, put the fire of resolution to your soul, and' kindle a flame that nothing but death can, extinguish.