Textile Goods From Flax

Manawatu Times, Volume LVI, Issue 7185, 17 June 1933, Page 6

Textile Goods From Flax

AN EABLY STABT TO BE MADE ERECTION OF MILL BUILDINGS Considerable interest has been aroused by the advertisement appearing in this paper inviting tenders for tho erection at Foxton of complete mill buildings for the housing of the manufacturing plant of New Zealand Woolpack and Textiles, Ltd., a Dominion enterprise formed for tho purpose of creating an entirely new industry, that of making textile goods from New Zealand flax. Tenders close on June 2S, and tho plans and specifications drawn up provide for a spacious and well-appointed factory, two stores, dining-room and suito of offices, which will occupy the whole of the recently levelled section in Duncan street, and also extends over an area of land having access to Watson street. Tho main road entrance to tho factory is at present under construction and enters to the company’s property from Duncan street. The offices, with weigh-bridge adjoining, will be located immediately at the end and just to tho north of this entrance. This building, which is of neat design, will comprise throe up-to-date offices, strong-room, laboratory and dual cloakrooms.

Forty feet to the rear of tho offices will extend the factory proper, but portion of this area is devoted to a dining-room for tho use of employees, attached to the mill by a short passage. This building, which will bo spacious, bright and airy, will contain separate men’s and girls’ dining-rooms, cloakrooms and lavatories, and will bo well appointed for the convenience of employees. The factory'itself is to bo a long rectangular building, 83 feet long, and either 53 or SG feet deep, alternative tenders having been called for this structure. Its greatest length faces Duncan street. This largo structure will be suitably divided up according to the location of the machinery and requirements of the engineers, but special attention has been devoted to light and ventilation. At the rear of the mill will be a boiler room, tanks, etc., located at the south end of the railway yard which provides for a long loop lino to the south end of the mill and two other sidings running parallel to the existing railway lino. The rail, access to tho mill, will join up with the main line in tho vicinity of tho Lady’s Mile crossing. To the rear of the main buildings, on the Watson street section, will be located two largo storage sheds, 125 feet by 50 feet. The nearest one will be 50 feet from tho south end of the mill and tho other 40 feet to tho rear of the first storo, running back on to the main railway lino. Provision is mado in tho specifications for the use of only the best materials in tho construction of tho buildings, which will bo of wood and iron, with concrete foundations throughout. They will AH the large sections completely. Provision has been made for pumping the water for itho mill requirements from the river which runs nearby. It is estimated that tho job will provide work for about forty men.