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12. Manders and Bradley, Puhipuhi. —This sawmill is situated on the banks of the Wairiki Stream, Puhipuhi State Forest, Bay of Islands County. The mill has been in operation between five and six years, and the supplies, which are mainly kauri, are taken from areas purchased from the Crown. The logs are driven down to the mill by dams constructed on the various creeks. The logs are then milled, and the sawn product is trammed a distance of three miles to Whakapara Railway-station, whence it is railed to Whangarei. and from there shipped to Auckland and Australian markets. 75 per cent, of output is exported to Australia, the remainder being disposed of locally and in Auckland. Cuttingcapacity, 4,500,000 superficial feet; output, 4,000,000 superficial feet; mill hands, 27. 13. Foote Bros., Whakapara, Whangarei. —This mill is situated at Whakapara, near the railwaystation, on the Whangarei-Hukerenui line. After being actively engaged in cutting operations for a number of years, the firm have recently had to cease milling, owing to scarcity of supplies in the district. 14. Mangapai Mill (Cotdthard's). —This is a small mill, situated in the Mangapai Riding, Whangarei County, cutting logs taken chiefly from the old kauri working in the immediate neighbourhood, and logs wagoned by settlers sometimes with a view of cutting up so as to be returned in sawn planking for building purposes. The mill has been in existence for about six years, and is a portable.plant, the whole of its surplus being disposed of locally. Cutting-capacity, 1,000.000 superficial feet; output, 150,000 superficial feet; mill hands, 3. 15. Kaihu Sawmill, Northern Wairoa {James Trounson).—This mill, which is situated at the head of the Kaihu Valley, has been cutting constantly for the past nine years. It is substantially built and well equipped ; it derives its supplies—chiefly kauri and totara —from freehold land belonging to the mill-owner, while a small quantity of logs is purchased privately. Practically the whole output is conveyed by rail to Dargaville, sixteen miles distant, whence 40 per cent, is shipped to various ports in the colony, while 50 per cent, of the kauri is shipped to Australia. Cutting-capacity, 2,800,000 superficial feet; output, 2,000,000 superficial feet; mill hands, 20. 16. Tangowahine Mill, Kaipara {Robert Gibbons).— This mill is situated on the western bank of the Wairoa River, nine miles above Dargaville Township, and about fifty miles from the Kaipara Heads. The mill is substantially built, and is equipped with all modern sawmilling appliances, including electric light. The supplies are drawn from a large kahikatea forest (purchased from private owners) standing in the vicinity of the mill, and connected with it by a horse-tram line. The timbers cut are principally kahikatea, the output being exported to Australia. Cutting-capacity, 4,000,000 superficial feet ; output, 2,500,000 superficial feet; mill hands, 28. 17. Aoroa Mills, Kaipara (Mitchelson Timber Company).— These mills have been in operation since 1890. They are substantially built and fully equipped with up-to-date appliances for converting and dressing kauri and kahikatea timbers for the Australian and southern New Zealand markets. The mills are reputed to be the finest in the North Island, fronting the Northern Wairoa River, with wharfage accommodation for loading large vessels. The supply is obtained from Government areas and private holdings in the Kaipara district. The quantity of standing forest is, however, steadily diminishing, and in a few years the forests suitable for milling will be cut out. Cutting-capacity, 13,000,000 superficial feet; output, 10,500,000 superficial feet; mill hands, 39. 18. The Kaipara Sawmill Company, Kaipara.— The mill is situated five miles up-stream from the Township of Dargaville, on the eastern bank of the Wairoa River. The mill is equipped with up-to-date machinery, and has been actively engaged in cutting timber for the last ten years. The supplies for the mill are drawn principally from private owners, the logs being floated over considerable distances to the mill from the following rivers—Wairoa, Mangakahia, and Mangonui—and from their numerous tributaries. The varieties of timber cut comprise kauri, rimu, kahikatea, totara, and a little matai. The major portion is exported to the Australian markets. Cutting-capacity, 5,000,000 superficial feet ; output, 4,000,000 superficial feet ; mill hands, 48. 19. Aratapu Sawmills, Kaipara {Kauri Timber Company). —These mills, situated on the western bank of the Northern Wairoa River, have been in active operation about thirty-five years ; but during the year 1906 they have had to discontinue cutting, as supplies are no longer available in the district to keep a plant of such large dimensions running. The mills were one of the largest plants in the colony, cutting exclusively kauri, and having a cutting-capacity of 14,000,000 ft. per annum. The enforced stoppage of these mills is a serious loss to the district, as they have been large employers of labour for many years. The mill buildings still remain, but a quantity of the machinery has been removed to other parts of the district. 20. Kopuru Sawmills, Kaipara {Kauri Timber Company).— These mills are situated on the western bank of the Northern Wairoa River, about thirty miles from its mouth. They have been actively engaged in cutting operations for about forty years. The supplies from the mills are drawn from the Wairoa watershed and from the several counties which the Wairoa drains—namely, Hobson, part Bay of Islands, Whangarei, Otamatea, and Hokianga Counties. The timber is all floated to the mills from various distances. ' The kind of timber cut is exclusively kauri, the major portion of which is exported to Australia. Occasionally cargoes are sent to the United Kingdom. Cutting-capacity, 14,000,000 superficial feet ; output, 11,000,000 superficial feet ; hands employed, 120. 21. Northern Wairoa Timber Company, Tatararaiki, Kaipara. —This mill is situated on the western bank of the Northern Wairoa River, about thirty-five miles up-stream from the Kaipara Heads. The mill has been cutting continuously for the last twenty years. The supplies are drawn from an extensive area, and the mill depends to a large extent upon timber purchased in the log from settlers on the Wairoa River and tributaries. The mill is a well-equipped one, and the kinds of timber cut comprise kauri, kahikatea, rimu, totara —the greater portion is kahikatea —which is exported to Australia and the

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