THE OLD MILL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 141, 16 June 1944, Page 6

THE OLD MILL

MAY BE SOLD SOON

CITY'S ANCIENT LANDMARK

Will Auckland's most ancient and best known landmark, the Old Mill vanish under the picks and hammers of a demolition gang, or will it be preserved for the city? The question is prompted by the fact that to-day at 5 p.m., tenders close for the purl chase of all the freehold lands and buildings in the estate of the late Mr. Joseph Partington.

The buildings—although the advertisement concerning the closing 0 f tenders did not say so—include the historic windmill. There are many thousands who would be sorry to see it go.

In a short letter to the editor a correspondent states that the Old Mill is in an excellent state of preservation, although it was built 100 years ago. The thick walls are of brick, and the interior woodwork of clean heart of rimu.

Would Ivast Another Century

The correspondent, who knows every inch of the windmill, says that it would last easily another century or more, with care and attention. He asserts, too, that it was the wish of the late proprietor, whose father built the mill, that the name of J Partington should remain over the door for as long as the mill stood.

Unfortunately, there was litigation I concerning the property, following [ the sudden death of Mr. Partington and no conclusive evidence of an intention to make the Old Mill over to the city was forthcoming. Unless the Old Mill is acquired by some pu> lie-spirited citizen, or a group representing a combination of subscribers* who would present it to the city Auckland may suffer the loss of this graceful and picturesque landmark, which has adorned the central sky. line for longer than any living resident can remember. °

It was announced to-day by Sir Joseph Smith, chairman of the Boy Scouts metropolitan committee, that a meeting of the executive of the Scout Council had been held, and it was resolved that "it is the view of the executive that the old mill should be preserved, if possible, for posterity, and also that it would provide an excellent site, centrallysituated for scout educational training, administrative purposes and Boy Scout clubrooms."

A full meeting of the Boy Scouts Council is to be held on June 28 to consider this decision.