THE WAITEMATA MILLS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4667, 28 October 1876, Page 6

THE WAITEMAT A MILLS.

S6m*TIMK ego we resolved to visit these farfamed mills,.but found it inconvenient to dp ao till Wedne»a»y lest,when we were swiftly : booveyed thither-in the steamer Scotchman, which is owned by the enterprising proprietor of the.mills, Mr.' John Lamb. The steamer left Auckland a few minutes after four o'clock in-the - afternoon,; and we reached bur destination about dnsk. It being too late to obtain a view of the mills, or of the fine estate on which they are situated, we remained under the hospitable roof of Mr. Lamb for the night, and on the following morning, that gentleman courteously conducted us through his largo establishment and also over his estate. The Waitemata milla are situated at Riverhead, within four miles of the source of the Waitemata river, and about seventeen miles from -Auckland. The river is navigable, by steamers, to the mills, where, at low water, there are slight falls over small ledges of rocks that intersect the stream. At high water these falls are covered with water to the depth of four or five feet, and light-draught cutters can safely navigate the Waitemata for about a mile higher up, where the stream narrows into a mere rivnlet. When Mr. Lamb took up hie abode at Riverhead, the land which he now occupies was in its primeval state, covered, as all the uncultivated adjoining ands in that direction ore at the present fcime, with stunted tea-tree, growing out oi barren soil of that white clayey descrip#n which so much indicates infertility and unproductiveness. In short, it may be said to be the mosl inferior land in New Zealand. Mr. Lamb saw at once that he could not possibly make " the wilderness blossom like the rose," unless he strictly adopted th« well-known Scottish proverb, "Setastoul heart to a steep brae," and this he has mosl effectually done ; and if every settler were tc follow his example, we should hear less complaints than we generally do of farming being that toilsome and unremunerative occupation it is often represented to be. The great George Washington, who was one of the best farmers of his time, and whose cultivation of Alouut Vernon, whilst engaged in the heat of the War of American Independence, he directed by despatches to his overseer, says :—"The tilling of the soil was the employment given by the Creator to our first parents, and ought we, their descendants, to disobey the Divine injunction, 'Multiply, and replenish the earth, and tubdne it. , " Mr. Lamb has literally complied with the last part of this injunction, for he has "subdued" a considerable portion oi the Riverhead " earth," and he and his family now reap the benefit of that energy and perseverance which it would be well for anyone who emigrates to the colonies to better his circumstances, to practise. Mr. Lamb has reclaimed from the barren regions of Riverhead some 130 acres, which are now in an excellent state of cultivation, and which certainly form an oasis in the wilderness by which the cultivated land ie surrounded. Tfrs tilled land is subdivided into paddocks, several of which are sown with mixed grasses, and are astonishingly productive. One could scarcely believe that such poor soil could yield the rank grass it does. The more swampy parts of the ground have beer drained in accordance with the eystftm oi drainage, by covered earthen pipes, adopted in the mother country, whereby all surplus moisture is carried away, arid the land correspondingly improved. Three or four of the paddocks are stocked with cattle of various good breeds—the proprietor being uncompromisingly averse to the raising of stock of an inferior description. He has, therefore, exeroised due discrimination in the selection of his cattle, which can now compare favorably with any in the district. Mr. 1 amb was an exhibitor of cattle at the late Cattle Fair at Remucra, and intends to occupy a similar position at the forthcoming Cattle Show, to be held there on the 9th proximo. The breeding of pigs hae been also a speciality with Mr. Lamb. His piggeries now contain a dozen or two of the best Berkshire breed of pigs that could be seen anywhere— some of them being quite ready for the butcher, and probably weigh about 4001bs. each. The benefit derivable from the planting oi forest trees occupied Mr. Lamb's attention shortly after he went to Kiverhead. and, aftei consideration, he resolved to follow the exampleof other eolonistsin this respect,by planting around his homestead and in other parts oi hie estate, Tasmanian blue gum trees, poplars, willows, rimus, and other trees. The blue gums have, as they invariably do in thi; colony, grown very rapidly, and are now oi gigantic sizes—not a few of them measuring eight or nine feet in circumference aboul two feet above the ground. The homestead, including the mills and other houses adjoining them, are now well sheltered by gum, willow, and poplar trees, and some of the largest of these specimens of vegetation hive beer recently utilised for small trucks and othei timber work required for the use of the estabrshment.

The motive power for the mills is that of water and steam, bnt principally the former. The water is conducted by an artificial race of a mile and-a-half iu length, from a large reservoir situated at that distance from the mills. This water repository covers an area of between fifty and sixty acres, arid reaemblea a small lake. It is about 22 feet in depth in the centre, and contain* a supply of water capable of keeping the mills going for upwards of two months, without the aid of steam. The outlet flora the reservoir is a large square sluice, which can be regulat> d according to requirements. Close to the sluice is a. by-wash of 42 leet in width, to carry off the surplus water when it attains a certain altitude in the reservoir. The embankment ia a work of such substantiality as will entirely obviate the possibility of any of the contents of the reservoir escaping by leak age, which not unfroquently endangers reservoirs that are n-.fc properly constructed, and causes dire calamities, as had been the case at Greenock and Sheffield many years ago. The reservoir cost r 1 500. The water-wheel which turns the mills is an overshot wheel, 30 feet in diameter, and 6 feet 4 inches in the face—the depth of the buckets being 18 inches. The wheel, when fed by the fullest supply of water, works up to 60 horse power. It was made on the premises. The steam power is that of an engine of CO horsepower, with a boiler of corresponding dimensions. The chimney stalk is a square, massiva structure, 84 feet in length, and is one of the largest and most substantial stalks in the colony. It was built by Mr. Kay, of Parnell. who is con aidered one of the best stalk-builders in Auckland.

The grinding department of the mills is supplied with four pairs of the best French burr stones, 4 feet C inches in diameter, and driven by face gear. The stones discharge the ground meal into a worm, which latter discharges its contents into a set of eleTatora, which carry the meal to the mealroom at the top of the house, wh«re it is distributed for cooling. It is afterwards brought down to another room, that feeds the silk-dressing machine, which is the largest in this quartor, being 34 feet in length. By means of this machine the bran, and the sharpe are perfectly separated, ■whilst an ingenious contrivauce attached to the machine packs the dreaaed flour in the bags. The apparatus for cleaning the wheat is a siDgulai ly complete one, and grain submitted to its operations cannot but be effectually divested of all srnnb, dust, weevil, sand and The wheat is first taken up to a room aloft; by elevators, and run into a huge bin, and then put through riddles and gieves to free it from straw, stones, and dust. The wheat is afterwards passed through a smutting machine to separate all smut from it From this machine it paseee into another set of elevators, which return it to an apartment at the top of the mills where it * discharged into a room which feeds the bins fof the stones. In all this wo, k of cleaning and grinding the wheat is not touched by hand from the time it is received in baga till it is re-bagged and shipped by the Scotchman for Auckland. The flour, which consists of bakers' and household flour of excellent quality, meets with a

nsady sale, uri it seldom happen* that tkere ,is any coneiderable stock" on hand. Luge quantities ofcifcere sent to various partoof the Nortbrflsbuia, inolndinig , :Po X er s r and-Hawkei-Bay, and also to the islands of the Pacific. The shipping the mill is very expeditious.' The steamer domed alongside the wharf in the immediate rear of the premises, jrhere*there w A suf-" ficient depth of water .for • her to disthargs or load. The discharge is effected by a winch worked by the mill machinery, and discharges three hundred sacks an hour into the store-room easily. The loading is effected

in the same way. : ' • Adjoining the mills is an extensive biscuit manufactory, which is kept constantly at work. The flour is brought from the mill to the factory, where it is emptied into a bin above the mixer, which mixes a ' sackf ull at a time. When thoroughly mixed, the dough is communicated by machinery to the roller for breaking and rolling it. After being rolled, it is cut into pieces of certain sizes and - submitted to the operation of the stampers or cutters, which cut the sheets of dough into biscuit shape. This cuttingmachine and gear cost £1000, and has twenty-three sets of cutters. The cut biscuits are placed on boards by the' ma]cHnery, from which, boards they are taken by a boy who feeds the baking oven. This is the only instance in which the dough is touched by hand. The oven is a travelling oven of thirty-six • feet in length, and bakes the biscuits as they travel through it. The oven dischargee the baked biscuits on to a travelling web, which conveys them to a loft in the top story of tb» factory to be packed in tins and boxes by three men who do nothing else. After the tins and boxes are packed and labelled, they are weighed and made ready for shipment to Auckland, where they are exported to the Pacific Islands in large quantities—there being a brisk demand for them there as well as in New Zealand. The cabin biscuit after being packed in tins of 501bs. and lOOlbs., are removed to a large store-room, where an extensive stock is always kept on hand. Mr. Lamb was the first exporter of biscuit and flour to the Islands, the trade in both which is rapidly increasing. Immense quantities of saloon biscuits—which are much prized in the trade—are manufactured here. The biscuit manufactory is replete with all the machinery requisite for the manufacture of the various kinds of fancy bread,' and is the largest and most substantial machinery, made by Vickers and Co., of Liverpool, and Sleight, of Leith. On our visit to the factory, we saw the machinery in full operation, and were struck with the precision with which it worked. In one of the apartments at the mills wo noticed some bales of dressed New Zealand flax, ready for exportation to Melbourne by the Hero. Mr. Lamb occasionally deals in flax, and thinks that the artificial cultivation of that plant would form an important new industry in the colony. Ho also deals in gum, of which there are large quantities on his own property. All the tins and boxes for the establishment are made upon the premises, as well aa the irouwork required for it, for which purpose there is a blacksmith, a tinsmith, and a joiner's shop, withiu a few yards of the mills. A blacksmith, a tinsmith, and a joiner are kept constantly at work, the requirements of the establishment being euch as to necessitate this. These shops are respectively furnished with all necessary tools, and the workmanship executed thereat is most creditable. In the joiner's shop there is a circular saw for cutting the timber for the boxes, and an iron turning-lathe for turning iron work. There is also a simple, but most useful apparatus for touguing and grooving the boxes. Adjoining the blacksmith's shop is a baker's oven, where the bread consumed by Mr. Lamb's family, and the men employed by him, is made. The oven is also available for soft goods. There are also other conveuiences which need not be particnlarised—Mr. Lamb's aim being to make all the people dependent upon him as comfortable as possible. The homes for the married workmen —of which there are twelve—are neat and substantial four roomed cottages with veraudahs. The cottages are nicely lined ami varnished, and are, upon the whole, superior in both external and internal appearance to the generality of workmen's habitations in tho colonies. Each cottage is well provided with ample spouting, and there is a drain from oach to carry avvay the foul water. Before each cottage is a ganlen, and several of them are kept in the best of order, whilst one or two re--1 minded us of the " garden of the sluggard" mentioned in the Book of Proverbs. The gardens, with these one or two exceptions, are well stocked with fruit trees and vege- ! tables of various descriptions, and also with

choice flowers from the daisy to the moss rose, not excepting the splendid water-lily. One of the gardens is a little source of reniuuer.itiun to the industrious owner, who certainly deserves credit for the example he set 3 before his neighbours in gardening. Nearly fill the uitn employed at the establishment are very industrious and saving in their habits, and what is better, they seem to live in perfect happiness. For the single wen a bachelors' hall, capable of containing 1G men has been provided. This house is also well lined aud varnished, and contains as muuli furniture as is required. For the spiritual wants of the people Mr. Lamb has also made provision. Near the mills is a very neat building, specially set apart for a place of worship. It is well lined and varnished and seated with wellmade varniehed seats, with backs, reading desk, &c. There is also a harmonium, which during service is presided over by Miss Lamb, an accomplished young lady. The church is lit at night with kerostne lamps. The Kov. Mr. Robert Sommervillt.-, of the Whan, officiates here fortnightly, and occasionally a Church of England clergyman holds service in it. The isishop of Auckland also preached in it several times. tor the education of the rising generation at iiiverhead, Mr. Lamb hai succeeded in inducing the Board of Education to establish a school at the Waitemata mills, for which purpose he has placed a very neat echool-house at the diaposal of the 8.-ard. It is lined and varnished internally, contains a fire-place, and is large enough to hnld fifty pupils. We visited this school, which was only opened about three or four months ago, and were greatly pleased with tho progress made by the pupils in bo slim b a time. We found the teacher (Mr. (iluuiiuM) both courteous and highly ai.d his tnitional qualificatiousaretinniistakablygood. I n reading, wrifciug, history, and aiitiiinetic tho children— who ace nearly nil very young—have already made ertditable pr.ilicieuey The copybooks uiid reading books are kept remarkably clean, and t'tio discipline eeeius to bo excellent. The children were all neatly attired and clean in their persons, and none, of them looked about tiiein during our visit. For the convenience of the little settlement Mr. Lamb keeps a. general store, attached to which ia a post oiiie*-, to and from which mails>-are received and despatched daily. The «etore and po.-.c-ottico are efficiently managed by Mr. Ki-atou, who also acts as .book- keeper to Mr. Lrnub To Horticulture Mre. aud Miss Lauii) pay. great attention, ami the Hue flowers of various descriptions that decorate the Ivout verandah of the dwelling'l'ouse is an exemplification of this. These are all potted flowers. There are also a dozen or si> of teudi-r Norfolk island pines, just, raised from seed. For intellectual improvement Mr. Lamb has not omitted to make provision. In his library are some of the ■ best standard wurks on theology, history, biography, politics aud science, together with a large number of miscellaneous works, iucludiug tho most popular periodicals of the day. . On the sliclves we noticed .Brougham's, Maeaulay's, Shakespeare's, Chalmers's, Guthiie'a,- and Talniage's works. About a mile beicrw the Waitcroata Mills is Riverhead, where there is a jetty at which the rivfir steamers call to discharge aud'load. The only habitation., at this place aro'Mr. Deacon's Royal Hotel, and two or three huts A mile below this j,-Lty is Harkins' Point, the terminus of tho Kafparsi R-iilway, where there is altso a eub«t(mtial jutty with ;v steam crane for loading and discharging L-oods.' The I townshin —for a to'.vunhip it :s now called

compriaeei'railway station, a telegraph and and a new and commodious publichouse, ciilledtne Railway HoteL There are two :or three little hute besides. From 'Harkins , ' 'Point to Forgham's _place, a distance of some two or three miles, there are, only -'two' houses—one *• gum-digger , a hut, and the other a email settler's house. At Forgham'sthere is a fine dwellingrhouse with garden and large patohes ofr. cultivation,, aa wellasa jetty, whichlatteris rapidly decaying. Immediately'opposite -Forgham's is Wood a Island, which contains ationfc 200 acres of low wretchedly-bad land; It 1 was : inhabited a few years ago by a family, who, apparently, could- not make a living on it; they have, consequently,' left ; the island,' which has since been uninhabited. Hobsonville, opposite Kauri Point, and in sight of Auckland, is a settlement of some 25 to 30 houses, with a large number of tall-grown trees. Close to the shore is Mr. Carder'a Pottery Works, where drain-pipes, paving-tiles, flower-pots, and ginger-beer bottles, are manufactured. Some of the settleru at Hobsonville are well off, and have made no small strides in cultivation.