WHITE PINE

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 244, 12 October 1916, Page 7

WHITE PINE

. . ■ •'. • •*■ / USED FOR BUTTER! BOXES. r it EXPORT DUTY JUBGED. r i A valuable timber for commerejaJ purposes is the, white pine, which, is so extensively used for butter boxravand an agitation is springing up. for tbe..restriction of its export to Australia. . Hie suggestion is made that New -island shonld be very careful, lest her supply of this timber should ran out unduly soon. Tbe white pine forests are _kl to be visibly thinning, and as Australia draws upon the Dominion very extensively' for her butter-box timber those well qualified to jndge suggest that the Government should place an export duty on the export of white pine, which wonM doubtless bave the effect of conserving our supplies. With the phenomenal increase in the butter-export trade and the cutting out of the pine forests the time would appear to be opportune for-stem-ming the tide of depletion. Action has been taken in the South recently in the direction of bringing the matter under the notice of the Government, and this finds support in Auckland. "It seems to mc," said one of our biggest timber merchants this morning, "that we are altogether prodigal with our white pine. The low price- at which it is being sold to Australian buyers is simply courting depletion. Either the price should be raised or the Government should impose a duty on export. This is an instance of the necessity for looking ahead, and it is to be hoped that the authorities sec the -importance' of tbe matter." ■■ r—