" MOTION'S MILL." COLOUR ON THE HARBOUR. A COSTLY BRIDGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 28, 3 February 1932, Page 6

" MOTION'S MILL."

COLOUR ON THE HARBOUR.

A COSTLY BRIDGE.

EARLY HISTORY OF ZOO SITE.

(By OLD-TIMEK.)

The account in a recent issue of the "Star" of tlie reconstruction of the road up the steep hill by the Zoo tempts me to offer some history of this locality in tlie late 'sixties and early 'seventies. "Motion's Mill" was a small zoo even then. Peafowl, guinea-fowl and. turkeys ran about almost wild, and were shot as required. Pheasants were plentiful and flocks of a dozen or twenty could often be seen walking about the paddocks. Pigeons made their home above the stables, which were built right over the fresh-water stream. Lean, wide-liorned wild Sydney bullocks were sometimes in the paddocks, and we youngsters were then warned to keep clear of them. The flour mill, with two huge water wheels to drive six sets of stones, stood right at the head of the tidal creek. Two dams conserved tlie water supply and flood-gates regulated the amount used, which was carried in a wooden race li.gh above the road to tlie water wheels. A steam plant was also used when the water supply ran low. Three cutters, tlie Jolly Miller, l)usty Miller and Watchman, owned by the firm of Lowe and Motion, and worked on shares by a crew of two, were in constant use collecting wheat from the ships in port and delivering flour. These cutters were worked up Motion's Creek with long poles (no internal combustion engines in those days), and often tlie crow would arrive at tlie mill bleeding from the shoulders from the strenuous use of tlie poles. Sometimes, on high spring tides, it would be possible to arrive, discharge, re-load and get out again on the same tide, but if they got stuck on an ebb tide it might mean a fortnight before they got oil'. Much wheat was grown at Tamaki and shipped to the mill. Other cutters would then have to be chartered and I have seen thirteen stuck at tlie mouth of the creek together, one blocking the other. The old road up the hill wound into the present Zoo property to get a better grade, and three horses were required to pull up half a load, which was deposited on a platform at the top until the other half-load was brought up. Only the best of horses and proved staunch pullers were of any use, and those used by the firm cost up to £80 and £90 each. Maize was the chief corn used to feed the horses, most of it brought from Sydney by the '"fast and favourite steamship Hero." The "fine new road" of the article referred to was also in existence then, and later was adopted as the regular route for the drays, which did two trips daily to the city, covering sixteen miles in all. How many trips would the present-day motor truck do? Mr. Motion also held and worked the land on both sides of the Groat North Road from Meola Creek to tlie Mental Hospital, and also from the mill to the site of the present speedway. At harvest time a dozen or more men would swing their scythes in perfect time. One day while mowing a crop of wheat one of the men dropped a lighted mateli, and the whole crop, cut and standing, also several stacks of oaten hay, was destroyed by fire. Wild duck soon found the burnt wheat and came in from the harbour at night to feed on it. One young fellow, now eighty years young, made some good bags on moonlight nights, the ammunition used being spent bullets picked up at the nearby butts and cut up into "slugs." The mill and farm found work for many men. They were housed in two stone buildings, one for the millers, and the other for drivers and ploughmen. Team drivers received 25/ per week and "tucker." The social side was not neglected, and when stocks were low in the large grain store it would be cleaned out, .dccorated and prepared for a ball. The "dance at the mill" was a popular function and the elite of Auckland would roll up in strength. On these dance nights it would be almost impossible to hire a cab in Auckland, as any "cabby" not engaged would make some excuse to go out, as there was always plenty of "eats" and drink (mostly strong) for the "cabbies," mill hands, drivers, boatmen and any neighbours who cared to be there. About 1575 the property was purchased by the Auckland City Council for £20,000, and the Western Springs water supply was carried to the young city with reservoirs at Ponsonby and the "top of Symonds Street. Later the mill was again worked by Partington Bros., of windmill fame, who built a tramway to the top of the hill and wound the loaded truck up by horae-power. Later still, the old mill was used as a flax mill, but I have no knowledge of when it finally disappeared. Can any other old-timer tell me?

Auckland celebrated its anniversary on Friday with the beauty of the day lying over everything like a benediction and with the harbour one glorious expanse of emerald green. Upon this moving field stood the white sails of the racing yachts, and lovely they looked, but much lovelier was a small skiff, the proud possession of some youths, who had a feeling for colour. Their little vessel was painted a deep, warm green, and the triangular sail was dyed in the richest burnt sienna shade. Speeding around one of the blue bays, in the blue liglit. so characteristic of Auckland at its best, they made a perfect picture. If this was followed by other owners of pleasure craft, what a galaxy of beauty the Waitemata might become. Of course, racing yachts might not be able to win races in any other colour but white, the spirit of purity, but for lesser folk who love the colours with which the greatest of all Architects lias enriched His productions, there is no reason why they should not follow the example of older lands. What makes tlie luggers of the rainbows? What this little fact may have their brown and rich-coloured sails, which, after all, are but a measure of thrift, for they are dyed with protective mixtures, it is believed? And Venice, of which half the charm would vanish if the fishermen on the lagoons did not love colour and decorate their boats with the colours of the rainbows. What this little fact may have meant to the practical side of southern Italy cannot be "computed, for tourists go in thousands just for the love of colour which they thus obtain without quite knowing why they like the place. In Sardinia even the carts in the streets are painted gaily and are quite works of art. We are seeing this feeling after colour showing in the Auckland streets, where the motor cars are the gayest of the gay and some are as pretty as a bed of flowers. Why cannot this innate love of the beautiful be applied to the boats on our harbour and thus make Auckland gay? —E.S.

How large a margin of profit must be allowed for on a gigantic work such as Sydney Harbour Bridge is indicated by a detail of cost incurred after the bridge was completed. Messrs. Dorman, Long and Company, Ltd., have to part with a sum approximating £7000 because they are meticulous in the care of the rivets (writes a Sydney correspondent). The bridge work being finished, they have gone over it in all parts and knocked out and replaced, or are engaged in knocking out and replacing, about 10,000 rivets. The estimated cost will not be/as large as that set forth, but that is not because it is not an actual fact, but because there is no need to buy new rivets, as the stock in hand at the workshops i s sufficient. The labour of removing and replacing, however, has to be paid for, and the great cost of this can be understood by all those acquainted with the bridge. Men have had to inspect and work in all parts of it. The arch rises to a height of more than 400 feet. The firm contracting for this bridge may have allowed £1,000,000 for profit and £500,000 for unforeseen contingencies, and then it may not reap a tremendous reward. The Government's tests will continue into February.