Catlins River District.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 37, 25 March 1875, Page 5

Catlins River District.

THE TIMBER TRADE. The timber resources of the country are now fully admitted to be a question upon which tbe continued progress and prosperity of the colony must in a great measure depend. Apprehensions have, time after time be?m expressed, that we have barely sufficient timber at our disposal to complete the public works contracts on hand, not to mention those in contemplation. Opinions of this kind have been freely expressed, and evidence in support of their truth are not awanting. A few weeks ago, a Northern contemporary wrote — " Sawn timber appears to be as scarce in Tasmania as it is in New Zealand. The General Government has failed to secure timber for the new Government buildings from Tasmania, and found it . necessary to fall back upon local contractors. The Government can hardly be blamed for the attempt to procure Tasmanian timber. The principal reason for sending there appears to be that the Government expect to get it cheaper than that at which local contractors are willing to deliver it." Again we are told on similar authority- — " That the Messrs Brogden are paying the Hangitane natives in the North Island 2s 6d per 100 superficial feet royalty for cutting on their reserves. The timbei*, it should be understood, is twenty-five miles in and from Foxton, and from whence it has to be shipped to its destination. The railway contracting firm have to erect sawmills at a considerable cost, have only a right to cut for three years, and have to pay 2s Gd per 100 feet train dues for the conveyance of the timber from Palmerston to Foxton." These facts go to prove that the apprehensions alluded to above are far from being ill-founded, or that the question as a whole is one totally devoid of solicitude to the community at large. With facts like these before us, it will be unnecessary to offer any word of apology for directing attention to the timber resources of this district. It seems equally unnecessary to say that in pursuance of that design, Catlin's River must be specially brought under notice. That the bush lands in and around that highly favored locality are extensive and otherwise valuable, are facts wliich from all we can learn, are now becoming fully acknowledge. The bush itself is unquestionably one of the more extensive tracts of timber country in this part of the colony Seaward bush on the downs, at Invercargill, is both large and compact, but still it would hardly form a well proportioned arm of the Tutuku bush, which extends from the Nuggets on the one side, to the mouth of the Molyneux on the other, and of which Catlin's River settlement forms the chief operating centre. The Long wood range has vast timber resources, and so has the south-west const with its net work of sounds, but neither of them can lay. claim to the advantages which the Tautuku or Catlin's River bush commands. On the one side it skirts a seaboard indented with a succession of bays and harbors, all more or less safe and commodious for shipping. On the other side it has a position to the goldfields, the industrial centres, and settled districts of the Province, which gives it a commercial importance unsurpassed by any timber country in New Zealand. In a word, with the sea on the one side and the main trunk line of railway on the other, it will be literally surrounded by the cheapest and most expeditious means for transit, of which commercial economy knows anything about. So much then for the bush, as a whole. We come now to deal with the relative position of Catlin's River as a centre from which this extensive trait of bush can be most conveniently wrought, and expeditiously disposed of. Although awkwardly situated at the mouth or bar, the river inside presents facilities for water carriage, more especially the transmission of timber rafts and heavy logs, such as are of immense advantage to sawmilling pursuits. It forms itself into two distinct branches : the one known as the Owake, penetrating the timber country on the one side, and the other Catlin's River proper, penetrating in on the other side. The last named river opens out into a lake of considerable dimensions, so that a great extent of good serviceable timber grows contiguous to its banks. We mention these facts particularly, as too much importance- cannot be attached to the existence of streams of this nature along which timber in the log can be transported to the mill, preparatory to ! being cut up. In this respect, Catling River possesses advantages to which neither Waikawa, Tautuku, nor the Toi Tois can lay claim, and as suuh it undoubtedly presents by far the most eligible centre from which to work the timber. With a branch line of railwaw running into, say, the Owake Flat, tracks and tramways opening .up the forest on every hand would) undoubtedly be formed, and in doing so, work, at the very lowest computation-, be found for a hundred sawmills. As a feeder to the main line, it would be very difficult, indeed, to sufpassit; at the same time it would open ' up a vast ' field fpr commercial enterprise. We are glad to find that Government have at length given instructions for the preliminary survey to be gone on with) at once. Its immediate effect will be tff bring the district into notice, and wef '

question very much if there is another district in the Colony which will more richly repay any attention bestowed upon its development. The subjoined information relative to the timber trade and sawmilling enterprise of the district is compiled from information lately obtained on the spot. GUTHRIE AND LAUNACH's MII.L, locally known as the " big " m iU i a situated on the west bank of the river about a mile and a half or two miles rom the mouth. The stream is at least three-quarters of a mile wide and from ten to say thirty feet deep, so that the place is perfectly accessible for crafts of moderate tonnage. For saw milling purposes the ground was first 'spotted' many years ago. It was taken up ten or twelve years since by two enterprising saw millers, who are said to have hailed from the neighboring province of Canterbury. After clearing the site, erecting a jetty, making certain excavations, and other preliminary arrangements, their labors were brought to a premature close by a melancholy accident, which resulted in the death by drowning of one or both of them. The place remained in this state for some years, when some wandering journalist or newspaper reporter happened to visit the river. In due time its eligibility for saw milling pursuits became the subject of a newspaper article, which appeared in a Dunedin journal— the 'Otago Witness,' if we recollect right. Sometime afterwardsthe ground was taken up by the enterprising firm whose names 'appear as an introduction to this branch of our observations. The only convenient approach to tbe mill I*9 by water, and as seen from the river it has more the appearance of a busy active township than the scene of a mere private speculation. It has certain distinctive features which cannot fail to impress a stranger at first sight. The foreshore is to a great extent stacked 1 up with fletches of timber, these barraeades beingvaried at regular intervals by hillocks of saw dust and other milling refuse-.. Behind these the wooden tenements occupied by the workmen are seen clustering round the mill, whicli, if not a pretentious erection, is at least a lofty and commodious one. The whole scene is singularly suggestive of a Maori pah in a state of defence, with this irreconcilable feature prominently developed, a hu?e smoke funnel and steam pipe overlooking the whole. On landing, the busy, thriving aspect around gains upon the visitor. The timber stacks and saw dust heaps are so deposited as to give free access from each of the dwellings to the mill, where the prosecution of saw milling pursuits in all their varied branches are to be seen to good advantage. One gang of men are engaged at a steam windless dragging heavy logs of timber out of the water — having been floated down from the bush lands higher up the river. These are then snatched up by a powerful crane or lift worked by another party of men, and with one round turn, this junk of , timber, no matter how heavy it may be, is deposited upon a self-acting bench, in the centre of which the sawing apparatus shows its ominous looking teeth. Another apparatus of the same kind is fixed immediately above it, the adjustment being so that they both act in the same groove, thereby completely severing a log of great circumference. With an ease that is perfectly astonishing the saw is set in motion, and the travelling gear, wTth a slow but steady movement, carries the log on through the severing process. Once between the jaws of these saws — technically known as the breaking saws — even the giant of the forest is not long in being shorn of his manly proportions. We timed one of these shearing processes with the following results : — The victim v was a log of red pine 14ft long and 3ft in diameter. Its adjustment on the bench ocoupied about 2i seconds. The first slice was taken off in 25 seconds ; the second, which was rather deeper, in 35 ; and the third, which was deepest of all, in 38 seconds. In fact the entire log was reduced to Heches or junks with an agility which forced, the conclusion that a Forest Conservation Bill was. one of the more pressing necessities of, the age. Before leaving this branch of the business, it may be as well to state that the breaking down saw ; js sft in circumference, acting in consort witV another of 3ft. ThW ripping; sa w,, wfiichi is also provided wrtfi did its work wfth, .equal ease and' despatch, as also did, &*, breast bench or saw fitted up at another part of* tfts premises. The motive power by which the lion's sharo of the work was accomplished was provided 'for' 'by '. tW 5 o horizontal steam erijpn^— jhe'; one f<& horse powerj which is a sjatfonary one, and the other 10 horse power,' which i| portable. Three driving with, an intermediate shaft, are' erected in a.;"' loft above the benches. In full working order the engine .performs, 110 revolutions per minute. Witjh that speeij 12,000 ft of sawn timber js>raedp-C per day. As much as rfoftMft Mr flay, can be provided for. Besides the mill bands, some 40 , nicn t ar^' employed in "" ( thre& separate partial '^j^.ti'ttfefV the bush,, per, day, fcjkra Aft |<%k 7 ,% tramways have; oeM^^^^^. , ronmng pf co^se^i|d_ffir^iairj«l)M rf ;, takes the bush aTBToo% ' J^ESSC*

and is two miles long; The third, which runs back irom the head of the lakes or river, is not more than one mile in length. The mill hands number 21, so that we have here a total of 61 persons employed at this work alone. The work is all done by contract — Mr Green being- contractor for supplying the logs,, and Mr H. Curie for working the mill. At a rough estimate, the wages account per week will not be much short of L2OO. We should add, as an example of the progressive enterprise of the establishment, that a machine for sharpening the saws by steam is about to be added to its other appliances. That will be the second machine of the kind at work in If ew Zealand. THE OWAKE HILL. This establishment is situated on the hanks of the Owake, about a mile or three-quarters of a mile, below the the bridge. The stream is much narrower than Catlin's proper. It is a good deal beset with mud banks, still the channel at high water carries sufficient depth for enabling ordinary sized timber crafts to navigate freely. It is a really beautiful stream. Tbe intervening ground between it and Catlin's is perfectly flat, and in some places considerable areas hare been cleared. Otherwise both banks of the stream are clothed with a magnificent forest of valuable timber. When the foliage is in full bloom nothing can exceed the heauty of the scene. It is mountain wood and flood in all its richest profusion and most varied aspect. The rata or iron wood in particular, of which a considerable quantity is interspersed throughout this hush, when in full flourish, lends a charm and variety to the landscape, which lovers of the picturesque in nature find in many respects irresistible. This is the second saw mill erected on that branch of the river. The mill has been in existence for many years ; in fact it may he said to have been the pioneer of settlement in the place. It has never at no time, however, been a very brilliant success. After keeping its owner well posted up on the N. S. F. side of his banker's ledger, it at last forced him to take refuge from his pecuniary trials in the bankruptcy court. It changed hands some years since, but still it did not succeed in improving its position as a financial sjieculation. The present owner — - a smart Dunedin merchant, with whom the world flows tolerably smooth in other channels, continues, despite his commercial sagacity, to run crooked in this quarter. The consequence is, the establishment has been at a stand-still for months, and so far as appearances go there is every chance of it continuing in that state for some time to come. The Owake mill, which is by far the more recent erection of the two, has had vicissitudes of a similar kind to go through. Within the last month or so it has got into other hands. Its present proprietor and manager is Mr M'Pherson, a good practical man, who has already earned his laurels as a sawmiller — having up till a recent date been manager of the " big " mill at Catlin's. Messrs Guthrie and Larnach have also an interest in the Owake mill so that in* transferring their late manager to it, the act itself is a pretty sure guarantee that he is a man well fitted for the work. Without discussing that point further, we shall proceed to say that active measures are being adopted for readjustment of the principle upon which operations were conducted. A new tramway is in course of being laid, with branch lines following up the bush in different directions. By this means •ome magnificent patches of black pine and. totara will be tapped j these patches being ■of sufficient extent to serve the mill for. a long time to come. T^e tramway when finished will convey the logs right on to the breakirigrdown bench. " : We do not pretend to say that we fully understand the practical effect of all the preparations we saw going fdrjyard, still it was not by any means difficult to : see that this . tramway would be of great service indeed to the establishment; . Although, the lopal appellation M big mill*' gives a sort! of precedence to the rival establishment at Catlin's, jt mrist not be understood that the Owake is. an insignificant mill, orthatjtje insignificant in comparison. TSifi "big? 'tnill his many advantages. Its situation which makes it much more accessible for 1 crafts than the other, being amongst the number. Still the Ovfake is not altogether a blank in this retjp&st either^ The', projected' railway, line will .pass in its 'immediate vicinity, j end that of Itself is a prospect worth sOmbthirig. . The engine and machinery, U smaller, the former being an 18-----holrse power stationary, but still it has all the la^tTij^proyemants, ahd it is o&erwise of 'a very superior character. In token of that .we may explain that while the contract price for the machinery at the big mill wee only £1400; thai for the Awake amounted t0.£1600. The ioill consists jof two benches, the one for breaking .down purposes,. fitted so' as to y'eaV,qp. a. log five' feet in diameter. The engine performs eight hundred revolutions per minute, arid is cutting, down an average of 30 logs per day, producing 8000 ft of sawn 1 timber.' Iril^U operation it employs 15 bush; men, working in three separate parties ; KPntill. hands; r'S 'r^afters^ and'twa tramWay hands-making a total of 30. ThaVwages account per sreeWatthis* eß^blishmenfwill not be far shoTt M

to take this opportunity for bearing testimony to the activity with which the operations of both establishments are conducted, and it seems almost unnecessary to add that they have our best wishes for their continued success.