PHENOMENAL SEASON

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXI, Issue 4976, 6 April 1937, Page 5

PHENOMENAL SEASON

THE DEMAND FOR LIME. i PLANTS WORK TO CAPACITY. Local lime works have been experiencing an exceedingly busy period during the past three months —so much so that during this period the railing of general goods, the bulk of which is lime, from the Te Kuiti station has increased from 10,000 to 16,000 tons, compared with the corresponding period of last year. This does not include the railings from the Hangatiki station, which average over 100 tons a day, in addition to the lime which is absorbed locally. "It's been a .phenomenal season for lime —easily the best since about 1929," said a man connected with the industry when referred to the large increase in railings. All the works were exceedingly busy, and some difficulty was being experienced in keeping up with the orders that were pouring in. The lime season proper extends from about February Ist to July 31st, so that the companies are now right in the flush of the season. Before Christmas the demand for lime compared very favourably with that of last year, but since then they have been besieged with orders. At Hangatiki three companies are working—the Hangatiki Lime Company, the Superfine Lime Company, and Worth's Lime Company. The three Te Kuiti companies are the Agricultural Lime Company, the Te Kuiti Lime Company, and the Waitomo Lime Company. The last-named company has just completed the installation of its works on a new site to the east of the town, its Gadsby's Road quarry having been worked out. Crushing operations at the new works, which are on a road off Matai Street, commenced yesterday. Most of the machinery in the works is new, and the output of lime on an 8-hour day will be 150 tons, which can be increased to 200 tons by working an extra half shift. Power for the works is provided by a 156 h.p. Diesel engine. Tests of the lime in the new quarry are reported to be very gratifying.