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Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20264, 5 August 1937, Page 25 (Supplement)

THE WATER THAT HAS PASSED. “Doubtless it will come as a surprise to many of the present generation to learn that on the Waikato land w T heat was once grown in large quantities and the old mill with its water wheel was not an infrequent sight. Remains of one of these old structures may still be seen at Karakariki. In the early days it was owned by the late Mr George Edgecumbe. a well-known resident of the Waikato. “The general practice was for the miller to grind the wheat retaining half the flour as payment for his work. Although somewhat coarse in texture, the flour made quite good bread which, however, was brown in colour owing to the nature of the flour. In later years wheat became badly affected with rust and other diseases and this, together with the increasing interest in dairying sealed the fate of the Waikato as a wheat-growing district.