THE TE A AWAMUTU CHEESE FACTORY. TO THE EDITOR.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1596, 26 September 1882, Page 2

THE TE A AWAMUTU CHEESE FACTORY. TO THE EDITOR.

Sib, — As a stranger to the Waikato teriitory, and one interested in the manufacture of cheese, I take the liberty of giving you a small sketch of the now factory, which is now finished (so tar as the building is concerned) at Te Awamutu. It is divided into four departments, curing, making, engiue-rooms, and office. The first of these is 50 feet by 30 feet, having a concrete floor, composed of lime, and a very strong coarse gravel covered with Portland cemeut, which constitutes a very smooth «md strong basis. Three pillars at regular intervals are constructed on the same, and, together with the walls, support the double shingle roof, insuring greater stability to the building. Between these pillars, are placed three air traps, which are connected with a pipe sunk underneath, the concrete floor, and carried through the building into the open, thus effecting thorough drainage, or a perfect current of air to pass into the building, according to the requirements of the manager. The pipe can be closed on the other hand, so as to make the room perfectly air tight. I may add that the floor has an incline from both sides to these air traps, so as to assist the drainage thereof. The walls are of brick, twelve feet in height, having seven ventilators over the several windows, which are made in the shape of a box with one side of perforated zinc, and the other a lid acting on a swivel, opened by a cord pending thereto. When closed they are perfectly air-tight, as also are the door and ceiling. The windows are guarded by green Venetian shutters outside, which are fastened by a latch, and can be opened and shut according to the amount of light which is needed by the manager. I then passed on through the covered way, 20 feet by 5 feet, on the right hand side of which stand the engine room and the manager's office, which separate the curing from the making-room, and is adopted in all the new factories, in order to allow no odours or steam arising fiom the making of the cheese to pass into the curing-room. The department called the making-room is constructed of the very finest timber, and one half is devoted to the cheese vats, while the other contains the presses. The dimensions are 40 feet x 18 feet, and the flooring is constructed on a slope to the one side, so as to allow of it being effectually drained. The engine-room is 14 feet x 12 feet, and the walls are partially formed of .brick, to guard against fire. A large brick chimney cemented outside passes through the roof to a height of 12 feet above the same. The office is 14 feet x 8 feet, and placed in a very central position. The flooring throughout the building is the same as that of the curingroom. On leaving the building and taking a.view of the' factory outside, one is immediately struck by the compactness and beauty of the and I may safely say that the factories visited by me in the Australian colonies cannot compare with that of Te Awamutu for a handsome and pleasing exterior. As a security against damp, the foundation of«* the curing-room is the ordinary brick, but with an asphalt covering to the same, , and consequently a perfect guarantee for dry walla is insured, and it is an important fact which should n«t be lost sight of by those building cheese factories. A good well, 25 feet deep, . outside the en-gine-room about 6 or 7 feet from the wall, ■will supply water to the tank, which feeds the boiler,, and acts also in cooling the milk. Then two other tanks . will, I understand, be erected,/, one ' at, ,■ the making, and one &t the curing-room. ( These are supplied from the roof by a. pipe,'running, down the<;v^all into thesamel,, A , small ' but pretty * stands about' one hundred yards from tjWfagtory, and the piggery is situated

well away from th#f actor y, so that there will be no chance ot any impurities finding their way to the latter. lam told the oost of the factory is £508, and can utilise r the mijk of 400 cows per diem. I must say the jnauager was most kind and civil to me, and took a great deal of trouble to give me all the information I desired, which was most interesting and varied. The only regret I experienced, was not being able to see the plant, which has not arrived yet. in conclusion, let me say a few words on one of the factories I saw in Victoria, viz. : Heidelberg, considered a very superior structure. It is a two storey building, but to my mind is not nearly so convenient as the one storey, but the machinery is very good, yet not expensive, the oblong vats and the screw presses being used, I may state that it was a matter of surprise to me that hardly any Gang presses are used in Victoria, in fact they are greatly condemned, the manager of the Heidelberg'telling me that he would not have the machine at any price, and when I inform you that this factory has/obtained the highest price for its cheese for two consecutive years, you will agree that the manager should know what is best so far as the plant is concerned. Apologising for the 1 amount of space I am taking in your valuable paper, I am &c, A Well Wisher to this New Industry.