Wood Bros., Ltd., Flour Millers, Grain and Produce Merchants, 198 High Street, Christchurch. Mills, Addington. Branch, New Plymouth. The important business of this firm has grown from a very small beginning made by the founder, Mr. William Derisley Wood, who erected the first windmill in the neighbourhood of Christchurch, on the Windmill Road. The plant was completed and operations commenced on the 25th of August, 1856, since which the firm has continuously supplied flour of a very fine quality to Canterbury settlers. It was not long before the capacity of the windmill was totally insufficient to meet requirements, and it became an imperative necessity that a much larger plant should be erected. Mr. Wood was successful in securing the lease of water rights at Ricearton, where a much larger mill was built and started in 1860. With the growth of settlement the demand for Wood's flour increased, and further extension of the milling premises and plant became necessary. Additional machinery was procured and the grinding power of the mill largely increased, the output of fine flour being fully doubled. Up to this time Messrs. Wood Bros.' mills were worked on the old stone system, but with the introduction of the roller process into New Zealand the firm decided to adopt it and keep pace with the times. Mr. Henry Wood visited England and America in order to acquaint himself with the different systems in use, and the result of his visit was the decision to erect the large steam-mill at Addington. The splendid structure is built of brick and four stories in height. Motive power is supplied by a magnificent steam-engine of 120 horse-power. The whole of the machinery, which was imported, is of the latest roller type, and the capacity of the mill when in full work is equal to the production of fifteen sacks of finished flour per hour. About sixty tons of coal are consumed per month in connection with the Addingon mill, which is considered to be one of the best in the Colony, and is admirably situated at Addington station at the junction of the North and South lines of railway, with the addington advantage of a siding whereby large supplies of grain brought in from the country are received direct from the trucks and waggons which also are loaded with outgoing freight. Messrs. Wood Bros., Ltd., have been exhibitors at all the principal foreign and colonial exhibitions, and have secured a large number of certificates. At the Industrial Exhibition of 1895 they had a well arranged show of their famous roller flour, wheaten meal, porridge meal, and semolina. Mr. W. D. Wood, the founder of the firm, landed in Lyttelton in 1850 by the ship “Randolph,” one of the “four pilgrim ships.” In 1892 the business, together with the grain, farm, and dairy export trade, was incorporated into a company under the style of Wood Bros., Ltd., of which Mr. Wood is chairman.