SOUTHERN CROSS BISCUIT AND CONFECTIONERY COMPANY, LTD.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 663, 13 November 1909, Page 12

SOUTHERN CROSS BISCUIT AND CONFECTIONERY COMPANY, LTD.

Wanganui appears-to be a toinv of .progressive iudustries, and one of the foremost: in this-'iespect .is "tiie . Southern Cross Biscuit and■ Confectioaery .Company, Ltd. •; in i ISOI by'-ils/presont manager'; llr."George Caiman/ t>6 company in the past eight years has firmly' established itself .as• & ;concorn ( whioh manufactures wholesale flour, bread, blsouiU), nmi mnt'eeticmerv All these branches , are during-ttol«t foHr.years,.tho business genera ly,has increased four hundred per cent. The loui•■mill, which is in a -large thrco-stoticd building, is run Sit and day, except-on-Saturdays,.when it dosM down at'noon, and in Oβ .weak it .turns nil: V>SI sacksof flour.- Other buildings adjomT«Z™£ :Wv« of industry. - For-instance,, the weekly manufacture of/ biscuits (rO differ- ««?■ Trin.lo runs into 21,tC0 (equal, to "fifty different 'sorts. ■: This-, company; spends Mmmmm

per annum ; milk, butter, and lard, JSISOO per annum j printing, another ; while eggs cost .£IOOO, This loet-iiamed item 'entails consider-; ablo industry upon the part of the hens in the .Wanganui .district, but the whole figures sorvo as an'indication as to the manner in which all classes of/tho community , benefit by enter; priso.', ■ manufabtures its ; own tins, crates,'-and boxes, and altogothor Some 70 hands (men, wdtuefl, boys and girls).are employed, daily. It is worthy of noto that' the company iturns out flour of the best description. This success is due to a Bpectal blonding of the wheat before manufacture,' just as tea is blended;- By theso means baketi tindtt.-un-, necessary to mix different' sorts of flour as: is generally tho case. At tho' New 'Zealand International Exhibition' , held fit ■ Chrisfchuroh the company was awarded first priae,gold medal, and. special. A Dominion representative who: visited the Southern, Cross/factory ' this week was shown some hustlo in. the , manufacture of biscnits. A' pared of wheat ,was first ground into .flour, and then 'placed : in various mechanical .contrivances, and at the. end of an hour, what had once been wheat was.biecuite packed- in tins -ready for; consignment. , In the

making of biscuits,, tho"flour :is first trimsformed into dough by being placed in a rotary, drum contrivanco something ■ like the latest butter-worker, and .is then passed "along, in great sheets: beneath: things ivbich' look liko, printing jirossos.- TheSa, Machines mark/ and cut the •sheets of-,dough, which, aro then run into the ovens in pans upon ft travelling chain,, and:in a few minutes come out tho finished article. In other, rooms, confectionery in; nil its branches was being made upon a very lnrgo scale, and-in still another, compartment a portion of; the 'staff ..urns'- tinning up Christmas puddings.:. The: whole of the machinery "used in the is. of tho most modern make, and all made in Great Britain. Tho company ctttcrsidspooially'for. the' North Island .trade, 1 and by' turning out' nothing- , but a first-class article,-it hnfl aroused a great demand i'6r its goods.VThe, biscuits .and" -tonfeotionery .manufactured are never a month old wheit; sold. Altogether .the Southern Cross Bisctoit and Confectionery Company is an institution of which Wanganiii has dv'ory: reason, to be , proud.-' The present puccoss : of the , .company is largely due to the offorts of tho; manager; Mr. G. Caiman, and. the factory, managor,'Mr.: I{. M'Kinnori, late of Auckland. '~ ,:'.;,, -..'