THE COLONIAL TIMBER TRADE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 14, 17 January 1895, Page 4

THE COLONIAL TIMBER TRADE.

A telegram which we published the other day shows that the New South Wales Go" vernmenb is fully alive to the importance of fostering the new timber export industry which has latoly sprung up between th e colonies and the Old Country, and which •promises to be of great pecuniary advantage to Australia and New Zealand if we can only manage our cards aright. In addition to building a large wharf at Balmain, the New South Wales Government is supplying plant capable of seasoning two million feeo annually. Tho process to be adopted will, ibis claimed, season timber in three weeks which it would take years to dry naturally. These preparations point to a belief on the part of the Government that there is a fine market for Australian timber' in Europe, and from all wo can learn that belief is well founded. Not only for the pur-! poses of •. street paving, but for general! building there is a growing demand for agood building timber in the- Old Country, a demand which tho forests.of Northern Europe wi!l soon iind it impossible to supply. An instance of tho increased uee that is being made of timber is to be found in the fashion which has arisen in the suburbs of our largo towns at Home to erect housea of wood instead of brick and mortar, Ib appears that a regular trade is growing up in Norway in ready-made houses. These tenements are constructed of Norwegian pine, in Norway, after which they are taken to pieces and exported to England, Franco, and even America, They are said to .be exceptionally warm and comfortable in wintor and cool in summer, and. thoroughly durable. The cost of theee houses is about half that of brickbuilt dwellings, and they can be made infinitely more beautiful to the eye. So much have some of these Norwegian structures been admired, that it is not at all impossible that there may bo a revival in wooden architecture. If it did come about, the market for colonial timber would be very materially extended, and in the benefits to be derived New Zealand should ■ be ono of the firsb countries to share. We must keep our eyes open for all chances. Fortune will very seldom come to those who do not go half way to meet her.