THE PAPER INDUSTRY.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume XCIV, Issue 5184, 25 April 1924, Page 1

THE PAPER INDUSTRY.

' 0 i ITS HISTORY IN 1 NEW ZEALAND. , THE MATAURA WORKS. | I ~— ) Speaking on Wednesday at Mataura during the ceremony at which the Prime Minister declared the New Zealand Paper Mills new works open, Mr T. Somerville (director) traced the beginnings of the industry in New Zealand. I "Paper mills, like many industries in New Zealand, have been established under great difficulties," he said. "In the year 1877 two mills were established, one at Woodhaugh, near Dunedin, followed within a few weeks by one on the present ' site. This Latter was necessarily of a very

primitive nature. The power wasi obtained from an under-shot wheel. The business was run by a small company of shareholders and eventually had to wind up. Later it was acquired by the late Mr Thomas Culling, father of Mr T. S. Culling, who greatly developed the industry and spent a considerable sum of money in rebuilding and bringing the plant up Ito what was then a modern state. This took place in 1894 when the power w.as provided by a vertical turbine. In 1905 the present company was formed and acquired this mill. Soon after a horizontal turbine was erected which is still in position, and is being used when there is sufficient water. The present vertical set was completed in December last year, and represents the last word in hydroelectric generation. Unfortunately a drought has existed for some •months and has been having a very serious effect upon the amount of water in the Mataura River. In consequence we are only able to run the new plant to a small portion of its efficiency. However, we a'-'e lookingfor ward to the river rising to its ordinary level, when this mill will be abb to supply at full capacity up to 6,000 tons of paper per annum.

A few facts about the industry may be of. interest.. Th% .average j number of employees in j.923 was 214, but it is hoped that the business of the future will materially increase this figure. The value of the raw material used, which included vast quantities of wastepaper, sacking, rope, etc., was over £44,000 last year, and the wages bill at this mill alone without taking into account the present additions, was approximately £260 per week throughout the year. It will give some idea of the extent of the operations, without including the new division, when I| tell you that in 1923 wages amounted to £30, 563, coal and oil £11,740, freight £6,054, and chemicals £3,806. The original machine installed in the seventies was a very small one compared with the present modern equipment made by Bertrams, of Edinburgh. The original consisted of some three or four dryers of small diameter as compared with twentysix dryers on Bertrams machine, each of the large diameter of five feet. The original output was between three and four tons per week, and it is possible with the new machine to manufacture 120 tons per week with ease. THE WORKS DESCRIBED.

The works are situated on the left bank of the Mataura River (says the 'Southland Times'), and present today a totally different aspect from that of a few years ago. Imposing brick buildings have replaced the old wooden and galvanised ones, which housed the plant for many years, while the industry was gradually growing. A small part of the old building still remains, but these, with the exception of the bag room, will be replaced by modern buildings housing modern plant.

The mill, is driven by a vertical turbine, which is connected with a generator of 1,000 ,horse-power. The turbine is controlled by an automatic governor, which also reg'ulates the

many gates that admit water to the power producing plant. These gates open and shut as power is required. The old horizontal turbine is still in running order, but it is seldom used at present.

The craft paper turned out by "the big machine" is manufactured from wood pulp which is imported from Norway and Sweden. The pulp, after being' opened, is put. in a large revolving digester, where is is treated fcr a few hours. When the digester has completed its work, the pulp passes under what are known as kollergangs. The kollergangs are huge granite wheels which revolve in a small' basin, and while revolving also twist, subjecting the wood pulp to a severe pounding. The kollergangs are driven by chain from a fifteen horse-power motor. Even after this severe treatment the pulp is not ready for the "big machine." It next goes into the beaters, when it is subjected to further pounding. From the beaters the pulp passes into a stufl chest, from where it passes to the refiner.

The refiner is a cone-shaped instrument, and requires a special motor of 150 horse-power to drive it, although it is only a small machine. The reason so much power is required is that the refiner contains two sets of knives—one stationery, the other revolving. The. pulp passes between the two sets of' knives, causing great friction, which uses up a considerable amount of power. I The pulp is now almost ready H!ar the final process, and, after going through another stuff chest, it is sent towards the wet end of the "big machine," which converts it into paper. The pulp is mixed, with water, and passes through strainers just prior to going ov.er the wires which lead it into the machine. Suction pumps draw the water away from the felt bands that carry it over to the drying cylinders. These cylinders gradually extract all the moisture from the pulp, which, comes from thrr machine in a large endless ribbon about &ft wide. The machine, which does the most important part of the work, extends the whole length of one building, and the end where the pulp and water enter is known as "the wet ' end." T'his machine contains twenty--1 eight cylinders, all sft in diameter, ' and it is around these cylinders that 'the felt carries the damp wood pulp which is to emerge on to the roller, at the .other end as paper of varying quality, according to the requirements of the management." The.cylin drical part of this machine is driven by a steam .engine of 400 horse-pow-er, which drives the machine and also the pumps. Besides the suction pump which draws off*the water, there is another centrifugal, pump which takes back the water to the strainers. There is still a certain amount of wood pulp left in the water, and by pumping it back every particle is used. At present the finishing is done in a very inconvenient building, but this will be replaced by one more up to date in. the near future, ia ' 1 ; "