WESTLAND TIMBER INDUSTRY.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14513, 20 December 1912, Page 5

WESTLAND TIMBER INDUSTRY.

MUCH IMPROVED CONDITIONS. (SPECIAL TO "THE PHBSa.") HOKITIKA, December 19. The timber trade, which a few mouths agowas.responsible tor financial troubles on tho West Coast,, has shown a rapid recovery and Iroin reliable, information there are strong indications cnat it bids fair to compensate those engaged in what is really the greatest industry in "Westland. The souLd', business-like way in which tho industry is now controlled has given conadence not only in those engaged in producing seasoned tiinbur, but to the buyers ii. other pans. Orders from Australia recently to hand indicate an increasing demand tor riinu, and as a result the mills will resume operations with tho New Year, cutting," largely independent of home consumption, at prices much in advance of . previous operations. New markets have also been exploited in tho Dominion, more particularly in the Auckland province and as a result orders have'been placed for a very considerable'quantity to be shipped during January and February, moro particularly the class known as "off cuts.' The averagp sawmiller in the past has been cutting out the bush and selling the product at a price barely sufficient to keep tho mill going. All this is likely to bo altered immediately by an all-round advance of one shilling per hundred, which after all, will- only enable the miller to obtain a reasonable return for the capital involved, and write off a proportionate amount as tho bush is worked out. Several millers, who previously were not associated with the majority, aro now, under the bettered conditions, going in for "a square deal," and determined with tho rest to secure a fair return for the labour and capital involved in the industry.