Matahiwi, the Millstones
The Kawana Flour Mill was one of those provided by Governor George Grey, hence the name, “Kawana” (Maori for “Governor”), and was built in 1854. The Historic Places Trust has preserved it by rebuilding it with its original water wheel and grinding stones. It closed down in 1913 and in the 1930s the roofing iron was taken for use on the Matahiwi School.
It was first built to grind the wheat grown by local Maori farmers. It was one of several mills built last century and operated for 50 years. It’s been completely rebuilt and in working condition, with its water heel. The miller’s colonial style cottage has also been restored and moved up above the potential flood level. It’s unattended and open all the time to walk around in and has many interesting information boards.
Restoration started in 1978, with the construction of an exact replica of the original building. The mill machinery was installed as near as possible to the original position and reopened on Saturday 20th September, 1980, by the Governor General, Sir Keith Holyoake.
“Millstones are often made of a hard stone like granite. They can be as small as 8” in diameter or as wide as 48”. Being 4″-5″ thick, millstones are very heavy! The surface of a millstone is divided by deep grooves called furrows into separate flat areas called lands. Spreading away from the furrows are smaller grooves called feathering. The furrows are cut deeper at the center of the stones, and are more shallow at the outer edge of the stone. The grooves provide a cutting edge and help to channel the ground flour out from the stones.
The 2 stones stand side-by-side, almost touching, but not quite. The miller can adjust the distance between the stones to regulate how finely the grain is ground. As the milling begins, one stone “stands still” while the other turns, creating a “scissor-like” cutting action as the grooves cross each other. Depending on mill design, stones may be oriented horizontally or vertically.
As a kernel of wheat enters the millstone it is “caught” in the deep furrows at the centre. Centrifugal force then forces the kernel to move through the furrows which are getting shallower and shallower as they get to the outside of the stone, crushing the kernel along the way. The result is “stone-ground whole wheat flour” which is simply ground-up wheat kernels! The mill uses the force of water to make the millstones turn, which is how many mills worked in the days before electricity.”
Sometimes as people we find ourselves caught between the furrows of life’s millstones and through multiple, seemingly random acts of experience we are propelled via those furrows on our way through and out the other side. Is it ours to be ‘crushed’ or are we simply in situ to be ‘made’.
I’m all for the latter though it occurs to me, we can’t get there without first having gone through the millstones. A crushing thought! But up ahead, it’s Ranana (London). Perhaps there’ll be some relief from this thought there. Or maybe I’ll simply get over myself and accept ‘what will be will be!’
