FLOUR MILL AT BOMBAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 103, 2 May 1889, Page 2

FLOUR MILL AT BOMBAY.

AN event which has caused no little stir in this district took place a few weeks ago, : being the starting of Mr John Hancock's new flour mill, which has been in course of erection for the past three months. The mill is a substantially built-wooden building, three storeys in height, and has a very largo water wheel, the water being obtained from a creek running through the farm. In the basement is a four-inch shaft, to which is geared an upright shaft for driving the stones, also a patent friction gear for driving one of R. and J.-Rankin's patent smutters, one of the finest outside Auckland city. On the second floor aro a pair of .French burr stones four by six diameter, with room for two pairs more if required. On the third floor a shaft runs the whole length of the building, driving an eighteen foot dresser, also another dresser, eight feet, for oatmeal, the proprietor being determined to introduce this much-needed industry into the district. The water-wheel is a picture in itself, being built of heart of kauri. The engineers deviated from the old-fashioned style of lumbering segments on the side, and have aimed at lightness combined with strength. The wheel is geared from the centre and diagonally braced internally, precisely the same as an iron wheel. When the water was turned on for the first trial, the wheel revolved as smoothly as possible ; in fact, so well did it do its work that the necessary power required for driving the mill was obtained by the mere filling of a couple of the buckets. Every portion of the machinsry worked smoothly and well, and gave the greatest satisfaction to everyone who witnessed the trial, and the engineers (Messrs J. Clark and William Slater) who erected the machinery and built the water wheel came in for no end of hand-shaking and congratulations for the workmanlike manner in which they cairied out their part of the contract. Several experts who were present expressed their opinion that it was the besb - finished wheel and the/ most compact little mill in the district. Messrs W. and R. Fitness were the contractors for the erection of the building, the timber being sawn by -them from timber grown in the district. The proprietor (Mr John Hancock), who has had some considerable experience of machinery both in Australia and America, personally superintended the whole of the work during erec- j tion.