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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Canterbury Provincial District]

Flourmillers, Grocers And Others

Flourmillers, Grocers And Others.

Atlas Roller Flour Mills (Evans and Co., Ltd.), Timaru, and Crown Roller Flour Mills, Manor Place, Dunedin.

Crown Roller Mills, Dunedin (Messrs Evans & Co. Ltd.).

Crown Roller Mills, Dunedin (Messrs Evans & Co. Ltd.).

Atlas Roller Flour Mills.

Atlas Roller Flour Mills.

Mr. William Evans, Managing Director, and originator of this well-established and successful business, resides in Timaru. He came over with the “rush” of Victorian diggers to Gabriel's Gully in 1861, and started storekeeping on the Otago goldfields. When the big “rush” to the West Coast took place in 1865, he was one of the passengers by the s.s. “City of Dunedin” (afterwards lost outside Wellington Heads), and established himself in business as a general merchant at Hokitika, remaining there over nine years. Getting tired of a goldfields' life, he decided to try an agricultural district, and chose Timaru as the most suitable locality for the grain trade. He carried on business as a grain merchant from 1875 till 1888, when he promoted the “Atlas” milling company. As managing director of the company, Mr. Evans supervises operations both at Timaru and Dunedin. He has for many years been a member of the Timaru Harbour Board, and is a director of the Timaru Gas Company. Mr. Evans is married, and has two sons and five daughters.

Mr. W. Evans.

Mr. W. Evans.

Mr. George Tennant, Manager at Timaru, who has been in the employment of the Company since its inception, is well known and much respected by the farmers of the district.

Belford Mills (John Jackson, proprietor), North Street. Timaru. These mills, which are among the oldest businesses in the district, were taken over by the present proprietor in 1890. The most up-to-date machinery in roller milling is used, and the capacity is equal to nine sacks per hour. The flour commands a ready sale throughout the colony.

Mr. Kenneth George Turner, Manager of the Belford Flour Mills, is a son of Mr. C. W. Turner, of Christchurch. He was born in that city, and was educated at Christ's College. Mr. Turner had experience of his trade in Queensland and in 1890 he came to Timaru, and took over the management of the Belford mills, which have since been under his care.

page 1016
Ferrier, photo. Mr. K. G. Turner.

Ferrier, photo. Mr. K. G. Turner.

Mill, J. and Co., Wool and Grain Stores and Stevedores, Railway Siding, Hay Street, Timaru; Head Office, Port Chalmers. The Timaru branch of this firm is conducted in one of the largest blocks of buildings in the colony devoted to the storage of wool and grain. The capacity of the stores, which are mostly built of iron, is 200,000 sacks of grain and 12,000 bales of wool. The premises are used to show local wool for the wool sales, and contain complete dumping machinery The firm acts as receivers, samplers and shippers on account of the farmers, and an immense quantity of produce passes through the stores every year.

Mr. Thomas Dempster Young, who became manager of Messrs Mill and Company's branch business at Timaru in 1890, was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, in 1856, and at the age of two years accompanied his parents to Port Chalmers in the ship “Strathfieldsaye.” He was brought up to farm work, and subsequently served four years as a surveyor and civil engineer, until entering the service of Messrs J. Mill and Company, at Port Chalmers, in 1879. Except for two years, when he was inspector of works for the Dunedin Harbour Board, Mr. Young has continued in the employment of the firm since that time. Mr. Young served as a member of the Timaru Borough Council for three years, and has been a member of the Harbour Board since 1899, and a director of the local Caledonian Society since 1897. He married, in 1885, Miss Howard, a niece of the late Mr. William Leatham, custodian of the Parliament Buildings, Wellington, and has two daughters and one son.

Ferrier, photo. Mr. T. D. Young.

Ferrier, photo. Mr. T. D. Young.

Miller, William, Grocer, Timaru Cash Store, Stafford Street, Timaru. This business was established about 1879, by Mr. C. Bowker, and was acquired by the present proprietor in 1900. The premises consist of a double-fronted shop with a verandah, in a two-storey brick and stone building. There is a crockery show-room behind the main shop, and at the back of the building there is a cart-shed, and a brick store, used for sorting oil and other goods. Four rooms above the shop are used for the storage of stock. Mr. Miller, the proprietor, was born in 1858, at Partick, near Glasgow, where he was educated. After serving his apprenticeship in that city, he came to Lyttelton in 1879 by the ship “Lady Jocelyn.” He settled in Christchurch, and afterwards gained experience in his trade at Rakaia and Ashburton, before coming to Timaru in 1887. Mr. Miller managed his present business for thirteen years before acquiring it. He is now a direct importer of crockery and glassware. As a Freemason, he is attached to Lodge Rakaia, and is also a member of the Orange and Druid Orders. Mr. Miller was married, in 1883, to a daughter of Mr. John Robb, of Doyleston, and has two sons and two daughters.

Ferrier, photo. Mr. W. Miller.

Ferrier, photo. Mr. W. Miller.

Shaw, Dugald, Tea Merchant and Commission Agent: Office, Church Street; Bacon Curing Works, Sophia Street, Timaru. Mr. Shaw is a native of Argyleshire, Scotland, and was born on the 23rd of November, 1844, at Carradale, Mull of Kintyre. He left his native place with his parents for Ayrshire and was brought up on the banks of Doon. On the 30th of November, 1864, Mr. Shaw left Scotland for New Zealand, in the ship “St. Vincent,” from Glasgow, and arrived at Port Chalmers on the 23rd of March, 1865, the anniversary day of the province of Otago. After a few years on the Otago goldfields. Mr. Shaw settled in Oamaru as a storekeeper and served as a volunteer in the No. 8 Company Oamaru Rifles, under Captain W. J. Steward, now Sir William Jukes Steward. Mr. Shaw was married, in 1873, to a daughter of the late Mr. A. Moir, Dunedin, and his family consists of two sons and one daughter. He left Oamaru some years ago for Timaru, to start business as a bacon curer, and has carried on the business ever since. Mr. Shaw cures bacon on a large scale for farmers and storekeepers. He has had a long experience in the business and is regarded as an expert, having acted as judge at a number of shows throughout New Zealand; and he holds a number of medals for his own exhibits. Mr. Shaw is secretary for the South Canterbury Burns Club, a member of the Caledonian Society, and an enthusiastic bowler.

Ferrier, photo. See page 992. Mr. A. F. Hamilton.

Ferrier, photo. See page 992. Mr. A. F. Hamilton.

page 1017

Tyrrell King and Co. (John King), Grocers and Provision Merchants, North and Stafford Streets, Timaru. This firm was established in 1889 by the present proprietor, who continued the business on his own account till 1891, when he was joined by Mr. George Tyrrell. This partnership existed till October, 1900, but since that time Mr. King alone has conducted the business. The North Street premises, where the business was commenced, consist of wood and iron buildings, including one shop and two residences, erected on freehold land. The Stafford Street branch of the business was opened in September, 1899, in a large stone building, originally used for horse sales, but now adapted to the needs of the trade. Behind the main shop, which is devoted to the grocery, there is a large glass and crockery show-room, and there are also a large storage room and two sample rooms behind these departments. The firm imports largely, and generally cultivates a cash trade.

Mr. John King, Founder and Proprietor of the firm, was born in 1858, at West Salton, Haddingtonshire, Scotland, where he was educated and taught his trade. In November 1878, Mr. King arrived in Port Chalmers by the ship “Canterbury,” and found employment for the first year with Messrs Esther and Low. For two years afterwards he had charge of a branch at Shag Point for that firm. Mr. King commenced business at Otautau, Southland, but after three years sold out and removed to Timaru. He is a member of the local Druids' Lodge. Mr. King was married, in October, 1888, to a daughter of Mr. James McLaren, of Kirkland Hill, Halfway Bush, Dunedin, and has three sons and three daughters.

Ferrier, photo.Mr. J. King.

Ferrier, photo.
Mr. J. King.

The Timaru Milling Company, Limited, Mill Street, Timaru. Directors: Messrs J. King (chairman), J. Meikle, A. Martin, C. S. Howell, J. Airay, J. Brosnohan, and W. J. Hardy. Manager and Secretary, Mr. P. W. Eiby. This company's mill is said to be the largest in New Zealand. It stands on part of an acre-and-a-half of land. The main building, which is of brick, is six stories in height, and there are very large grain stores in connection with the establishment. There is a full roller and milling plant, with a capacity of twenty-five sacks per hour.

Mr. Peter Waldemar Eiby, Manager and Secretary of the Timaru Milling Company, was born in 1854, in Copenhagen, Denmark, where he was educated and brought up to mercantile life. He arrived in Lyttelton in 1872 by the ship “Friedeburg,” and was in Christchurch till 1878, when he removed to Timaru. For five years prior to 1890 Mr. Eiby was connected with the Belford mills, and has held his present position since that year.

Mr. Josiah Hipkins, Head Miller at the Timaru Milling Company's Mill, was born at West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England, on the 27th of September, 1857. He is the son of an ironmaster, but was brought up as a flourmiller, and gained his first experience in Staffordshire at Barlow's Bilston Flourmills, said to have been the first roller flour mills established in England. After eight years' experience, Mr. Hipkins came to Auckland by the “Ionic,” in 1884, with his father's family. He found employment at the Auckland Roller Mill (afterwards the Northern Roller Mill) and became foreman miller. Mr. Hipkins occupied that position till 1892, when he removed to Timaru to take charge of the largest mill in the colony, and the first roller mill in New Zealand. Since Mr. Hipkins took the management of the mill, it has been worked to an output of twenty-five sacks per hour. As a Freemason Mr. Hipkins is attached to Lodge Caledonian, New Zealand Constitution. He has been a member of the committee of the Timaru Mechanics' Institute, since 1895. Mr. Hipkins was married, in 1889, to a daughter of the late Mr. Henry Woodward Williams, of H.M. Customs, Wellington, and has four sons.

Ferrier, photo.Mr. J. Hipkins.

Ferrier, photo.
Mr. J. Hipkins.