THE AUCKLAND ROLLER MILLS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2534, 6 October 1888, Page 3

THE AUCKLAND ROLLER MILLS.

(nv ONE Of Ot'lt IiKrOKTEItS.) Axtonk who has not visited Auckland for eighteen months or two years, cannot fail to be astonished at the wonderful alterations, and improvements made in many of its buildingß, but in none of them is there a mnro marked improvement than in the mill that formerly belonged to Mr John Lamb, now owned by a company, nnder tho management of Mr R. R. Hunt. When in town a short time ago wo availed ourselves of the opportunity to inspect the mill, and become better acquainted with the roller process, for as the company have purebred Waikato wheats to a considerable Extent, we naturally feel an interest in an undertaking that promises to find an outlet for our produce. Arrived in FortBtreet, we speedily found the mill; but had we not heard of the additions, certainly should not have recognised the building, as the only portion of the old one that is visible is the stack, or chimney. Having wandered through n suite of new offices, in wliich French polishers were putting the finishing touch to desks, etc., we finally found one of the staff, who, learning the purpose of our visit, handed us over to Mr Lamb—who still has the management of tho practical part of the work —he kindly guided us through the building, and explained the process. In one of their advertisements the company point out the change that has taken place in both farming and milling, and very aptly illustrate it by showing on the one hand wheat being reaped with a sickle, and on the other with one of the latest reaper and binder ; then again, on one hand is the old millstone, and on the other a pair of rollers. Verily, all things as regards milling, are changed, and all the old style of machinery is dispensed with except elevators and worm-screws, and they are increased ten-fold. We well recollect going over a large mill in the old country 2o years ago, and being told that about 2000 sacks of meal—i.e., the wheat after it had passed through the stones—was continually kept moving to cool before it was put through the dressing machine. Now the wheat is put into the feed bin. and it is not touched by human hand till it is flour, bran, sharps, etc. The beforc-men-tionecl dressing machine required about six horse power to drive it, while a lad could turn a silk that does better work. Tho tedious stone-dressing is entirely dispensed with, which, in itself, is no small item, for an experienced stone dresser always commanded good wages. The Auckland Roller Mill has undoubtedly one of the finest plants in the colony, and should, and we believe does, turn out flour second to none. One thing that a practical miller always does when he goes into a mill is to examine the bran, and he can generally tell by its appearance if the mill is doing good or bad work. We examined the bran in this mill most particularly, and cleaner, larger, and more flakey bran we never saw in our lives, either in this colony or in the Mother Country. The following is a brief summary of the machinery contained in the mill, as near as we could gather from a somewhat hurried visit Eleven sets of rolls by Simon, of Manchester, whom many consider the best maker in the world ; twenty silks, many of them centrifugal; fire purifiers ; four wheatcleaning machines; twenty sets of elevators and worm-screws innumerable. The wheat is shot into a bin on the ground floor, is then taken by an elevator into bins on the top floor that will hold 1,100 sacks ; thence it is put through the four cleaning machines, after which it descends to the second floor and passes through the first break rollers. It then goes through a silk which extracts the first portion of flour. In like manner it passes through the whole eleven sets of rollers, and between each set it goes through silks and purifiers, so that by the time it has finished the journey—which takes 10 minutes to accomplish—it is pretty well sub-divided. We were told the mill runs day and night, and does not stop from Monday morning till Saturday afternoon, wliich we cannot doubt, considering the large quantity of flour turned out. Mr Lamb's "Porridge Moal" and "Semolina " are made at night, and we were, of course, not made acquainted with tho method of its manufacture. The stores connected with the mill are gigantic, and will enable the company to store many thousands of sacks of grain. All the arrangements are most complete. The drays are loaded under cover, and indeed everything is supplied to make this mill one of the best—if not the best—south of the line. A new InO horse power engine is about to be fixed, and when finished the company intend adding another branch to their busini-.ss, viz., biscuit-making. The company have been large buyers of Waikato wheat during the past season, and have stiil 1000 sacks to be delivered. After a short interview with the manager (Mr Hunt), we departed very much pleased with the insight gained of the manufacture of flour by the latest roller process.