KAURI TIMBER.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12824, 7 June 1907, Page 8

KAURI TIMBER.

a THE PRICE IN CHRISTCHURCH. WHY IS IT DEARER THAN IN MELBOURNE? "Yes," said the head of a firm of large timber meichants in Christchurch, •'1 noticed in 'The Press' this morning the statement mado by the Hon. Mr Millar, that kauri timber is cheaper in Melbourno than it is in Christchurch. Tho figures quoted by tho Minister are quite correct, viz., 27s for 12-inch kauri boards in Christchurch, and 22s in Melbourne. I desire to make this explanation on behalf of the Christohurch timber merchants, for although it i« not 6tated in so many words, still the implication is thero that the Christchurch timber merchants havo come to 6ome agreement tinder which they aro making unreasonable profits. In Chri6tclmrch, tho kauri wo buy is all first grade heart and froe from knots or defects. Moro flitches go to Melbourne than como to Christchurch. The timber that *is sold as 'firsts' in Melbourne may not be all 'picked' as it is here. Thero may bo a certain amount ot _ap in the Melbourne timber, and there is certainly a good deal of it •mixed.' The trade has been built up in Christchurch on tho highest grade kauri. Very littlo medium quality stuff comes hero. Tlie Chr.Rtchurch prico quoted by Mr .Millar is that of tho timber sold from the yard. But you have to deduct from the quotation a discount of 2i per cent, for cash, and a 5 per cent, trade discount. Wo are simply getting a littlo over 255. and we allow a 2_ per cent, discount for cash off that. Tho timber merchants here are really making very little profit from kauri. 'The freight to Melbourne from New Zealand is about the came as it is from Auckland or Kaipara to Lyttelton. Then there is an extra cost to us of Is 9d before it is brought from Lyttelton and stacked in the yard. As I havo said, our price for 12-inch boards is 275; but in the case of special truck orders in quantities of not less than 5000 feet, tho prico is 23s The latter price is for trucks at tho Christchurch railway station, and is subject to # cosh discount of 21 por cent, in one month."

Mr J. D. Moore, agent for tho Kauri Timber Company, said •—■" l have heard of this complaint for about a couple of years as to hitrhor prices beinc charged for kauri in Christchurch and Dunedin than is charged in Melbourne, but . 1 have not paid much attention to it. Now, however, that the question has been taken up by a member of the Government and mentioned in public, more importance is given to it. and an explanation is necessary. We send tho kauri timber to Melbourne in flitches, which include all portions of the logs. We do not select it like we do for shipment in New Zealand. In the Melbourne price list no distinction ia made as to the quality of the timber. They _ell it at Melbourne 225, f.0.b.. for New Zealand.- Added to that there is a4a per hundred freight, and then from the shine' 6lini_s at Lyttelton to Christchurch there is en extra charge of la 3d. That brings the price of Melbourne timber landed here up to 27s 3d. Very highly graded, shipped from Auckland or Kaipara, can be bought here for 275, and medium at 245. The difference in price is to bo accounted for by the fact that they send all qualities—'firsts,' 'mediums,' and 'seconds.' They do not grade as we do. They ring on the price op tho 'seconds' and thirds/ Only a email percentage of 'firsts' comes over. There is 3s difference between the 'firsts' and 'second*,' and 7s between tho 'firsts' and 'rough.' As I havo said, in Melbourne they charge 22s for all classes indiscriminately. As a rule, a .contractor who orders from Melbourne- only falls in onco. He does not send'over fo Melbourne, again; because he has to pay an additional 3d, and does not get tho same quality." Mr W. Cook, timber merchant, Lyttelton. who was present -luring the foregoing interview with Mr Moore, : endorsed what tho latter said, and added that,only two shipments had come from Melbourne to Christchurch, and the operation had not been repeated. He thought that for every thousand feet coming from Melbourne to Christchurch, a couple of million feet comes direct from the mills in Auckland or Kaipara. The freight from Auckland or Kaipara to Melbourne is about the same as it is from Auckland to Lyttelton. Then thero is the freight from Melbourne to Lyttelton— 4s ■ per hundred.

The other side of the question waa put by Mr Pearce, of Ronnie and Pearce, builders. Mr Pearce said.: —"There is not the slightest' doubt that kauri, is sold cheaper in Melbourne than in Christchurch. Whether it is the timber merchants hero who get the profit, or whether the profit goes to the mills at Auckland, of course I cannot say. There is a good deal of difference between the local and the Melbourne price. The prices quoted by Mr Millar are correct. The following are the prices as taken from tho Christchurch merchants' list and the Melbourne list. I have both lists before mc, so there can be no mistake about the figures:— Christ- Melchurch, bourne, a. d. s. d. Sawn, 12in. ... 27 0 ... 22 0 „ 14in. ... 28 0 ... 22 6 ~ 16in. ... 29 6 ... 23 0 „ loin ... 30 6 ... 24 0