WINDMILL DAMAGED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21289, 16 September 1932, Page 10

WINDMILL DAMAGED

HISTORIC LANDMARK SAIL SPAR FRACTURED SECURED BY CHAIN SERIES OF MISFORTUNES ■ ! " 'W Having been twice severely damaged % in the past eight years, first by a gale and later by fire, the historic windmill in Upper Symonds Street suffered a fur- 5| ther mishap yesterday, when the main spar of one of its two sails broke a few feet from the shaft. Fortunately, the fracture occurred between points at which the spar is fastened to the stout wooden beam uniting both sails. The damaged sail, therefore, did not fall to the ground, but workmen, under the direction of the owner, Mr. J. Partington, had a rather hazardous job in securing the bripken timber by passing a chain round it. To do this it was necessary for one man to stand upon the end of a stout beam thrust through a window more than 60ft. above the ground. The fracture involved some of the moveable shutters on either side of the .spar, and the light members joining their outer ends were snapped. The old windmill has had a singularly unlucky career of late. Built 88 years ago by Mr. C. F. Partington, with bricks made on the site, it ground flour for the troops during the Maori "War. Steam was used as. an auxiliary source of power when the wind failed. After many years it was dismantled and the revolving lop replaced by a lantern of wood and glass. During the Great War Mr. J. Partington increased the height of tha tower from 60ft. to 80ft., so that it might overtop the near by buildings, and fitted a complete set of four sails. A heavy gale in 1924 caused so much damage that two sails had to be removed. The mill continued to work with the others until the evening of February 16. 1931, when a fire in an adjacent building spread to the tower and virtually gutted the interior from top to bottom. Notwithstanding his heavy loss, Mr. Partington put repairs in hand, and in the following September both sails, had been reconstructed and hoisted intp place. The top of the tower was strengthened with iron bands and the machinery . put into working order once more. The sails ar© imported pitch-pine, 35ft. long and 9ft. wide and weigh about a ton each. Mr. Partington stated yesterday that repairs would be made* in due course.