TIMBER TRADE.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19732, 24 September 1929, Page 13

TIMBER TRADE.

INDUSTRIAL EFFICIENCY BILL. AUTHORITY FOR IMPROVING ORGANISATION. [THB PRESS Special Service.] WELLINGTON, September 23. An interesting measure -due to appear again this Parliamentary session is the Timber Industrial Efficiency Bill. It wil] empower the timber industry to set up and finance a Board which will engage experts to advise sawmillers on production and efficiency problems, and which may also be used by the Government in an. advisory capacity. An analogy for the new Board- and us staff may be found in the Agricultural Department. The latter employs experts to investigate agricultural problems, and to advise farmers on their solution. This function would. be undertaken by behalf of the sawmillers by the staff under the proposed Timber Industrial Efficiency Board. There is this difference, bowever: the Board would be controlled and financed by the timber industry, and would not be a Government Department, subject to the cheoks and inertia or political control. One task before tbe Board will be an attempt to smooth out the, peaks and depressions in the trade. By study and taking the long view, it is hoped to avoid tie periodic booms and: slumps which have in the ptfet prejudiced the economic health of the milling trade. In fact, the aim might be described as rationalisation. This new and growing principle in industry has already been apjplited within certain limits to the marketing end of the timber business by the sales merger recently concluded in Hamilton. To finance the operations of the Board the Bill provides for the payment by all millers of a small levy, not exceeding twopence per 100 superficial feet, on all timber sawn from the log at their sawmills. Powers of the Board. Without limiting any authority specifically conferred on the Board, it will have full authority to make such arrangements and give such directions as it thinks proper in respect of the following matters:—'Establishment of uniform grading of timber and of a uniform system of costing accounts, the collection and distribution of information relating to economic industrial methods ana practices, investigation by experiment or otherwise of any process calculated to eliminate waste either alone or in conjunction with the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research or any other body, the establishment of uniform classification an-i grading rules For timber intended for export, the display of any timber at exhibitions or elsewhere and for advertising and promoting the sale of timber, bringing about such arrangements as may enable those engaged in the industry to secure the capita] they may require, encouragement of such arrangements with those engaged in other branches of the timber industry as will 3ecure efficiency in aty branches, and generally for all such matters as are necessary for or incidental to the due discharge of its functions in ensuring greater efficiency in the timber industry. The millers are unanimous in their support of the Bill, which was originally brought before Parliament on the last of the session, of 1928, but was rot then proceeded with, the object of its introduction being to have the proposals made public.