TIMBER-DRYING PLANT.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 292, 10 December 1929, Page 10

TIMBER-DRYING PLANT.

RAILWAY'S ENTERPRISE. SAWMILLERS PLEASED. (By Telegraph.— Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Monday. "The sawmillers of New Zealand will be distinctly interested and pleased to hear this announcement by the Minister of Railways," said Mr. A. Seed, secretary of the Dominion Federated Sawmillers Association, when commenting on the proposal to establish two kiln-drying timber plants for the treatment of timber for the Railway Department. "The need for kiln-drying plants for our timbers, to placo them in better condition to compete with imported woods for many purposes, has been a long-felt want. The cost of these kilns, howevei, is the obvious obstacle that has prevente their installation by the saw-millers themselves, as very few indeed ha\e areas of bush giving sufficient cutting life to warrant such heavy capital expenditure. Therefore the installation by the Railway Department of an up-to-date kiln-drying plant, in each island shoul certainly lead to that higher utilisation of the produce of New Zealand mills tha the Minister predicts. "There is still far too much timber being imported, which greatly accentuates the unemployment problem, and its use is fostered by somewhat unreasonable local prejudice against our own timbersThe Department's action will give a useful lead to other timber-using interests, besides the benefit that will accrue to th® sawmilling industry from the Depart* ment itself."