THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 148, 21 June 1912, Page 11

THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

{XS GEOWTE AH IS IMPOSTAKCS jr.'! -SEW -SAWMILL OPEInED.

(Br Telegrapt.—Own Correspondent.) HOEOPITO, Thursday. 'lie opening of a sawmill in the backSlocks is a function of no lictle importance to the dwellers in the bush. Practically all work is suspended within a gejHuile xadius, and the residents, men, (jomen, and children, enter wholefceartedly into the event. Yesterday, at ftdrojitp, on the Main Trunk line, the Silver Company opened a mill which is laid to he the first mill established in New Zealand to deal solely with silver sine timber. The mill is situated about a mil' 6 from the Horopito township, on lie fringe of a large iorest, principally composed of silver pine timber. The Dompany has a large contract for supplies of this particular timber to the Sew Zea.la.nd railways for sleepers, and 10 the Post and Telegraph Department for telegraph It lias also some aiderstanfling with the Public Works department -for the. supply of timber. O"e ceremony connected with the opening of the mill wus performed .by the Son. Geo. Lairrenson (Minister for i3ionr). The weather -was altogether Bit of gear for the function, but- the fetched elements did not deter all and amdry in the district from being pretEß,t. Mrs. Laurenson (wife of the Minister let Labour) turned the steam into the time, and the Hon. Mr. Laurenson, lonning a leather apron, slipped the tet log on the skids, -and the huge tHar°saws began cutting- out timber Itjj.-grea.fc- rate. _ }i declaring the mill open, Mr. Laurenja leartily congratulated those conjected with its inauguration. He felt ■jßie- thai the enterprise would .benefit Mt only its founders, but the district generally. . . Tb. &nith fM.P. for -the Waimanno), wlu also took part in the ceremony, jpoke in a similar strain. Subsequently the cWpanv entertained its guests at tehecrn, at "which the usual toasts were honoured. la He course of some congratulatorj Ifemaiks, Mr. Laurenson said that the folowihV figures gave a fair illustration of tie orowth of the sawaiiiUng business in the TJominion. In IS9I there lTere in New Zealand 243 «a.-wmills and htoin, employing 3266 hands, -wiioee «ga amounted to £271.814, and the rake of the output of the mills was '£832,350. In 1911 there were 034 saamffls and factories, the -hands .employed Dnmberea 6877, the wages drawn totalled £774,402,.ana the value of the output leplymg to "the toast of his 'health, Mr. -Smith, M.P. for Waimarino, 'bneny veriewed his work in Parliament since kibeaunea jnemher, and spoke interestbglynffhe big fight that he had fougnt, hntiich the Opposition ihad -made such 11 Kg'effort to wrest the seat from likeralisih: ' 11e ; 'toast of "jlinisters of the Crown Tas enthusiastically given, and MrLameEson, in the course of -his remarks, paid a; tribute to Mr. Smith., remarking that the -enthusiasm with which -the fiealHi of their member -was toasted Awel- that .the Waimarino electorate Wly recognised hie worth and the inJsluahle serrices he ha-d rendered 'the district" in Paxliaineiit. (Applause.) The inaction, which was altogether a iippy affair, terminated with cheers for the. Biker 'JPine Company, the Minister lor Labour, and the member for the district".