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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Auckland Provincial District]

The Kauri Timber Company's Sawmills

The Kauri Timber Company's Sawmills at Whangaroa (Mr. Robert Pengelly, manager) cover an area of three acres on the foreshore which is leased from the Government. The mills were originally owned by Messrs. Wigmore and Co. and were afterwards purchased by the Whangaroa Sawmills Company, but when the Kauri Timber Company came into existence the property was taken over by it with others. The main building has a floor space of nearly 14,000 square feet, whilst there is a large drying-shed with 3000 square feet of superficial space, besides offices, blacksmith's shop and other buildings. The machinery includes a forty-five horse-power engine with a Cornish boiler, vertical saw, travelling circle bench saws, drag bench, small benches for box-making, and cut and rip saws. Seventeen men are continually employed and the monthly output averages 220,000 feet of sawn timber. The wharfage and shipping accommodation cannot be excelled, there being seventeen feet of water at low tide. The company's “booms” at the months of the Kaeo and Pupuke river are very massive, and the logs are brought down from the bush at the periodical “floods”; they are then formed into rafts containing from 100 to 200 logs and towed to the mill by the sturdy steam paddle-boat “Yankee Doodle.” This steamer acts also as a tug for towing vessels in and out of the harbour.