TIMBER FOR COFFINS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 67, Issue 116, 26 February 1947, Page 8

TIMBER FOR COFFINS

SUBSTITUTE FOR RIMU SUGGESTED

REMIT LOST AT BUILDERS’ CONFERENCE (P.A.) AUCKLAND, February 25. A suggestion from the Wairarapa Master Builders’ Association that to conserve timber consideration should be given to the use of substitutes for first-grade rimu in the manufacture of coffiins was brought before the annual conference of the New Zealand Federated ■ Builders’ and Contractors’ Industrial Association of Employers.

Mr R. Bell (Wairarapa) said that in every coffin that was made, 30 feet, of clean rimu was used. This meant that every year thousands of feet ot badly-needed rimu were lost to the building and joinery industry. It was suggested that builders should approach the Government in an effort to have alternative timbers, such as pinus insignis, pinus radiata, and tawa, or plastic materials, used in coffins.

A plaster manufacturer in Masterton was producing plaster coffins, and they had proved to be very good coffins, he said.

“I think this is all very unsettling,” said Mr C. S. Limey. '“Are we suggesting that when our turn comes we. are going to be wrapped up' in pieces of building paper, or dropped into moulds of concrete? I think we should let coffins continue to be made as they are.” The remit was lost.