Mimihau Mataura, Wyndham, New Zealand 🌍

Wyndham (#nz1545)

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 334, 14 September 1870

We have great pleasure in informing our Mataura friends, that a much needed public requirement, the want of which has very frequently been referred to by us, is about to be supplied by the erection of a flour mill on the land of Mr Dodds, Mimihau Mataura, by, Mr David Doull, of Balclutha. Mr Doull has purchased the site on tHe main district road, from the Mataura bridge to the Toi Tois. The motive power will be obtained from the Mimihau stream, and tenders will be shortly called for the construction of the necessary water races and building.

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 337, 5 October 1870

WANTED Second-hand Water-wheel, from 12 to 20 Horse-power. Apply, stating particulars, to D. DOULL, Clutha Ferry.

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 359, 15 March 1871

Our crops this season are excellent, for the most part cut and stooked, and only awaiting a favorable turn in the weather to be stacked. Contracts for formation of races, &c, for a flour mill at Mimihau, have just been let by Mr Doull. of Balclutha, so that we hope to be able to get our wheat ground at home this season. Mr Oughton, the owner of the steam saw mills at Mararna, has also intimated his intention to travel his steam thrashing machine through the district, which will be a great advantage to our farmers

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 381, 23 August 1871

About 2,000 bushels of wheat is supposed to have been grown here last season, but little or none of this will leave the district, holders awaiting the opening of Doull's Flour Mill, on the Mimihau. Holders of oats are looking forward to selling at Switzers in the spring. Mr Doull has suffered considerable loss from damage done his race by floods occurring during its construction. Three floods in succession have swept through the race. A wide stone and timber culvert has been twice destroyed, the sluice-gate giving way at the last flood. The sides have caved in, and part of the tail-race has been twice filled with gravel. The race and gate are now, however, so constructed and protected that no recurrence of the mishap need be feared.

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 382, 30 August 1871

DOULL'S Flour Mill Mataura is now open for Gristing. As the above Mill will only be kept open for a short time Settlers are requested to forward their wheat as early as possible.
Gristing, fourteen pence per bushel for this season.
DAVID DOULL, Proprietor.

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 382, 30 August 1871

Settlers in the Mataura district will be rejoiced to learn that patience and perseverance have at length overcome the difficulties which have attended the construction of Mr Doull's mill and water-race. The establishment, we observe is now ready to receive wheat for gristing.

It's not clear whether Doull was consulted on the matter, but a plan was proposed to use the power from the flour mill to drive a (European) flax mill: Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 383, 6 September 1871

A valued correspondent writes as follows : "Can you tell me if anything has been done about flax (European) cultivation since the Provincial Government imported some seed. I have been talking the matter over to settlers at the Mataura and elsewhere, and think that if Government would engage to distribute gratis, sufficient flax seed to sow ten acres, and also to erect, (before December, 1873), a small scutching mill at Mr Doull's flour mill, than I would on my part, undertake to find ten or more farmers who would grow one acre each of flax, and also to obtain from Mr Doull, gratis, the right to use his water power (or rather a connection with the shaft of his main spur wheel) and to erect a small shed on his ground for the scutching mill. If the Government will grant the seed and the scutcher, I will guarantee to fairly start the industry. There are several men in the district who are thoroughly acquainted with the cultivation of flax as practised at home, and they inform me that the cost of a scutcher such as would require only one man to feed it would be very slight. Please don't imagine that I am going in for flax growing myself. The idea has struck me as feasable, and I find that all the old flax cultivators agree that the soil and climate would suit. The only thing they want to be sure of is the erection of a scutching machine within a reasonable distance of their farms." [We would recommend the parties interest is to correspond with Mr John Logan, Secretary to the Superintendent, and Government storekeeper, who, from his well-known attentive and obliging character, will, we are sure, afford every information.]

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 438, 2 October 1872

NOTICE TO MATAURA SETTLERS. THOSE who have Wheat to Grist are requested to forward same to the Mill immediately, as it will shortly be closed for the Season. DAVID DOULL.

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 517, 5 August 1873

We have had heavy rain all last week, causing the rivers to rise higher than they have been for a long time past. The Mimihau was so high that it carried away the sluice gate, culvert, and dams at Mr Doull's flour mill. The wheel narrowly escaped sharing the same fate. This is the third mishap of the same sort that has occurred since the mill was erected, two years ago. Mr Doull is now busy repairing damages, and it is to be hopped he will be more fortunate in the future.

The mill was reportedly busy in 1877: Bruce Herald, Volume X, Issue 938, 7 September 1877

As immense area of fine agricultural land has this season been sown down in wheat in the Mataura district. Mr D. Doull's flour and oatmeal mills at Wyndham have been kept busy all the season, and a large addition has been made to the storing capacity of the mill, which is still choke-a-block, and absolutely groaning beneath the immense stores of wheat and flour still left on hand. We never saw a finer sample of oats than the crop grown by Mr Allan Gait, Senior, purchased by Mr Doull, and now being delivered at the mill. The second flour mill in the Mataura district, to be erected at the bridge by the Mataura Paper and Flour Mill Company, will also be completed in time for next season's crops, and if we mistake not, Mr M'Caughan's extensive wheat crops sown on the Wantwood estate will alone prove sufficient to furnish gristing for the new enterprise. The Mataura may in future be reckoned upon as one of the largest wheat exporting districts of the Colony.

The mill was for sale later on that year: Southland Times, Issue 2914, 17 October 1877

FOR PRIVATE SALE, THE property known as the Wyndham Flour and Oatmeal Mill. The mill is centrally situated in one of the best wheat growing districts in Otago, no other mill within 20 miles. It has a splendid gristing trade, which will still increase as settlement advances in the district. The mill contains 2 pairs Flour Stones, and one pair for Oatmeal, and has an ample supply of water all the year round for driving double the present machinery. For a practical man with moderate capital this is undoubtedly the best opening in Otago, For further particulars apply to MARTIN, MAITLAND &CO., Invercargill. Or DAVID DOULL, Wyndham.

The proprieter has changed to Robert Doull by the 1880's: Southland Times, Issue 4930, 5 May 1884

WANTED KNOWN - That the Wyndham Flour Mill having been thoroughly overhauled is now ready to receive grain in large or small quantities. R. DOULL, Proprietor.

Southland Times, Issue 6923, 7 May 1884

Wyndham.
(From our own correspondent.) After a spell of many months the local flour mill has resumed operations, Mr Robert Doull, from Napier, having some short time since become the owner. He has lost no time in effecting the repairs that were found necessary, and the mill is now as good as new, extra water power having been put on and the machinery being thoroughly overhauled. As there is plenty of work for a mill in this district, I feel sure the new proprietor will have no cause to regret his move down south.

Associated people

• Robert Doull