TEMUKA LINSEED, OIL, CAKE, AND FIBRE COMPANY (LIMITED).

Timaru Herald, Volume XL, Issue 3020, 29 May 1884, Page 2

TEMUKA LINSEED, OIL, CAKE, AND FIBRE COMPANY (LIMITED).

Opbnino of the Wobks. A considerable amount of interest was taken m the opeuing of tbe works of the above Company yesterday. Invitations bail been issued to a number of gentlemen besides shareholders, and not a few of them responded. It fact tbe reßuit of the action of the Company has been looked forward to with no little interest by people living m districts far away from the scene of operalionß, and these will learn with no little pleasure that the opening of the Company's works has proved m every way a eueccßß. It may be as well to firct of all giro a short history of tbe Company. After several letters had appeared m the newspapers, advieiDg the establishment of an industry of this nature m the district, a publio meeting of gentlemen favorable to the movement was held m the Wallingford Hotel, Temuka, on Aoeu»t 22nri, 1882 ; Mr S. D. Barker m the chair. A free discussion ensued, resulting m the meeting being adjourned to September 6th, for the purpose of inviting Mr Pearae, of Christchurcli, to attend and give full information on the subjeot. Mr Fe&ree's report at the adjourned meeting was co favorable that it was decided (o form a Company. The prospectus wbb drafted, anil submitted to a meeting of the Provisional Direotora, held on September 26th, 1882, and was adopted. It mi decided the capital should conefct of 2000 shares of £5 per share. On October 3 let, 1882, Mr K. Sando was appointed broker to the Company, and that gentleman at a meeting ou January 10i.li, 1883, reported that 599 shares had been applied for. This was considered sufficiently satisfactory to justify the election of permanent Direotor*. A meeting of shareholders was accordingly held on January 15th, 1888, when the following gentlemen wore appointed: —Messrs J. Talbot, R. A, Barker, Win. Lyon, 8. D. Barker, W. A. Murray, B. K. Parkeraon, Geo. Woodhead, J. T. M. Hayhurst, and E. Brown. The Direct >ra selected Mr Talbot as their Chairman, that gentleman having previously acted as Chairman of the Provisional Directors. The Directors set themselves earnestly to work, and the number of shares applied for soon increased to 764. The total amount of call which has been made up to the present time has been £1 10a. The Directors, taking advantage of Mr John Ha j hurst's visit to America, asked him to select machinery deemed by him mott suitable for dreasing flax. The selection of the site for the worka occupied some considerable time, several sites having been offered. Finally a piece of land belonging to Mr James Lyon, about one mile from Temukn, on the Main South Road, was purchased. Tenders were then called for the erection of buildings and retting pits, descriptions of whioh have already appeared m our columns. And now to come to a drecription of the factory iUelf. Oo the west side of tho building an 8-horse portable engine (by Horn shy and Son) is stationed, whiob appears of sufficient power to drivo tbe whole of the maohinery. We believe, however, that tho Directors intend to purchase a more powerful one. The first maohine inspected by us was the breaking and sorutching mnohine, made by the Vegetable Fibre Company (Ld.), Philadelphia, U. 8., and poteDtod m 18?7. This machine is supposed to break and dress the fUx at one operation. It is rather oomplicated m its oon.truotion. Tho operator takes a small bundle of the flax, plaoes it between four fluted rollers, whioh orush the straw, carry on the flai, and place tho latter againit a drum whioh boats the, straw from the fibre. Tho operator then reverses the motion of the rollers, causing them to return the flax to him. This operation has to be repeated several times before the fibre can be called m any manner " scutched " or " drosscd." The great fault m this machine is tho necessity of having so often to reverse the aotion before the straw is leparated from tho fibre. Tbe reveriing gear ia very cumber(some, and liable to soon get out of ordor. Tho operator stands on a sort of ceo saw platform, and cansea the forward end returning motion to the rollers by pressing down first one sido of the platform and then the other. The drawing or scutching is very imperfect. Hub

acbine must to a certain extent be deemed failure as a machine for dressing; European 11. It lr.ioht nnsjrcr for New Zealand flax 'Icr it has piiss-d through shipping maohinea ;d been dried, as the action of the rollers ould extract a greit portion of the gum, hilo the drum would be able to dress tie ntre of the flax on account of its length,' hicli it is unable to do to European flax on '.■count of its shortness. The machine Bt crk inside the building was made by lessrs BOOUI and McDonald, of Christhurch, from castings taken from machinery iade by Macadam 8,-oe. of Belfast, Ireland, .'lie livraMnn maohino co<>ai(ta of ten flutod oilers lying horizontally, fivo [above und £vo clow. Tho fluips or grooves vary m b!ip, he front rollers Laying the widest flutes. Hiey also ynry m rate of speed, ["ho machine is capnb'.o of breakine at one .peration, eufficient ll« to keep twelve men iuey at jcutcliing or dreeing. It ia declared >y experts to be most elective m ie work, md a credit to Mesßrß Booth and McDonald! rho seu'ohing or dressing apparatus tHucbi'd io it is very simple. It consists >f a 4-inch Bhnft with cix cast iron •ims or bosses keyed thereon, two feet nine aches spurt. To there rims or bonseß iro attached five wooden cleaners or knives, which revolving Bt a high rate (180 to 200 revolutions per rninuto). m a vertical direction, remove the hulm or refuse from t|]e Sbre. 'Ihese cleaners are boxed m except near the hand-board, which has an opening Io admit the flax la be acted upon by the cleaiera. The band-boards can be shifted either to or from Hie cleaners, according to the hardness or softnes* of the fibre. The fibre after being cleaned really requires to go through no further operation, but ia m a suitable state for the spinner. The retting tunk» are two m number, each being 33ft. long, 14ft broad, and 4ft m depth. These tanks are built m euch a convenient position that the water requ'red for thesi can be easily pumped by the engine, from the well euuk near it, by means of a chain pump. Tho erection of the machinery, the site of the buildings, Innkc, e!c, was left to Mr Davis, the present manager, who, we must say, deserves great credit for the manner iv which the whole concern is designed. The present buildings ore only a small portion of what will eventually prove to be a very extensive establishment or manufactory. The intention of the Directors is to erect a twine spinning plant, and also plant for dressing New Zealand flix. In fact tho extent of the Company's operations will only be limited by the area of linseed crop grown by the farmers of the district. After thoroughly inspecting the works under Ihe care and guidance of Mr Talbot (Chairman of Directors), Mr Daviß, and others, an adjournment wai made to a large tent, where a capital luncheon had beon provided by the Company, Mr Coira being the caterer. To the good thiogs ample justice was done, the appetites being equal to the viands. After the company had taokled all that could well be eaten, an hour waa spent m toaßte and so forth. Mr Talbot, who, as Chairman of the Directors of the Linseed Company, occupied the chair, propo.ed "Ihe Health of the Queen and the Royal Family," which wbb heartily responded to. the Chairman then rose again. He expressed his pleasure at seeing so many people present to witness the opening of the Linseed Company's works. He explained the present financial position of the Company, stating fiat 764 shares of £5 eioh had been taken up, Tho amount called up was about £1146, and that actually paid about £900. The principal expenditure had been on machinery and buildings. Tha land itself had not been paid for, pending a survey of it. Up to the present time the liabilities entered into amounted to about £1200 or £1300. Fifty acres of linseed bad been grown during the past two years, from which fully ten tons of fibre would be received. This year the Company were working up the fibre for the grower?, and it would then be handed to them for what it was worth. The Company proposed to at present simply manufacture binding twine, which they hoped to have ready for use by ntxt harvest. All present were doubtless aware the indmtry was capable of any amount of expansion, and that labor was the principal thing required. He hoped the flax industry wonH be etill further developed on tho present »it« of the work?. What the Company wanted waa to get more people to take an interest m it, and to cultivate flax to a more or less extent. The price of wheat bad been gradually goiorf back, and it could hardly be expected that even the present, prices would bo kept up. It was worth farmers' wbila to try what could be done m linseed growing. It did not require much knowledge, and might prove of no little benefit, to them. The speaker proceeded to enumerate the many articles the linseed plant could be used /or. He concluded by stating that with the exception of the American, all machinery used m the factory had been manufactured m Chrittcliurch. Mr Wakeflold, M U. 8., said bo had listened with great interest to Mr Tulbot, who had made a very modest statement of what had been done by the Ocmpany. They had heard alotaVmt, tin- development of 1 >eul i. entries, but it seemed to him to be all talk. The people m the Geraldine district had shown what was meant by ljcal industries— by dovelopiug them. The flax induitry was one of the most important m Europe, and ho could see no renson why it should not answer as well hero. Wo had to labor under certain disadvantages, such as distant markets, but on the other hand we had so many natural advantages that we were nearly, if mt quite, equal to the peopl.i m Europe. Tho Company had done good work. Ho was glad to see visitjra frrin a distance present, as it. showed the interest taken m tho factory, and that likely to be taken m "similar underlings elsewhere. If every farmer m the district would only grow an af-re or so of linsoed every year, as the extent of his property would permit, it would keep the mill going. Tho speaker then impressed on tbe Company that they should not be too eagor to sell their production until they were brought to perfection, aa many a good industry had bc^n spoilt by rushing thoaa too suddenly inta'the market. He believed tho Company oould produce a first-class artldo after whet he bad feeo that day. AU present knew the interest ha (ihe speaker) had taken m local industries. In the district he now represented most of tbe farmers grew linseed, but they said it did not pay them t> do bo. His advice to them was let them assist wheat growing by mixed agriculture. Let them establish manufacture j m country villages. Wo could never know what towns like Tomukn would grow to if this were dono, for it would tend to fix the population. He had much pleasure m proposing the health of the Lins'ci Company, coupled with the names of Mr Hayhurst, jun., and Mr Pilbrow. The Chairman here apologised for the absence of Mr Postlethwaite, M.H.R., who he said had been called away to attend a meeting of the natives at, Temuka, m conjunotion with Mr Mackay, Native CornMr Hayhurst, junr., (hanked tlioae present for tbe hearty manner m whioh they had responded to the toast. He had done his very best to forward the flax industry. Hi had planted some flax last year, but this year he found himself unable to do so. He hoped all tbe farmers m the district would 00-operats m helping the industry by growing the raw material. Mr Pilbrow expressed his pleasure at the development of the flax industry, a* ha had always laken an interest m it. A» early as 1863 he had grown linseed iv South Canterbury. Several times he had tried to form a small company for the purpose of growing linseed and getting it manufactured into bags. He wm then before the time. Tho industry however, could not have startod at n tetter time than at present. He hoped farmers would oultivate linseed, bjth for oil and fibre. If all of them sowed to a moderato extent thoy would assist tho Company, and ho did not think thoy would have any oauio to repent it. Mr J. Pago proposed " The Local Industries of Teinuka," and ia a brief but appropriate speech mentioned tho ncoeMity for fostering such industries. Ho said that the producers must bind thomselrcs together to get the profits into their own hands. They need not work antagonist ioally to largo oempanies, but they must assert their own rights. He coupled with the toast the name of Mr E. A. Barker.

Mr Barker m replying a'luded to the s'io- 1 cess of the Dairy Factory, and gave good advice to farmers by which they might assist that factory. He added tho Directors hoped to bo able shortly to open up a direct trade with the Queensland market. They found the cheese now being sent to Sydney was resold to Queensland, while a duty of 2d per 1b had lo bo paid at tbo former p-.rt. In time, no doubt, they get over all these difficulties. He had listened with na little interest to MrPilbrow's remarks, as he had experimented m linseed himself. Tbe difficulty was m the threshing, and he thought it would pay the Company to thresh. He had beard the Ohristobureh Company had fallen through, and be believed it was because the farmers were asked to do too much. Ho advised the early starting of a paper mill company, as all such industries as twine and paper and so fortb would work well m together. Tbe toast of " The Chairman " proposed by Mr Page, brought the proceedings, so far as the luncheon was concerned, to a close. The mill was. however, kept at work for an hour or so afterwards.