GROWING MARKET FOR TIMBER

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21147, 24 April 1934, Page 16

GROWING MARKET FOR TIMBER

West Coast Rimu in Australia

VALUE OF PLANTATION SCHEMES

The remarkable increase in timber consumption in Australia over the last eight months should reflect itself in increased opportunities for West Coast millers who have good rimu and white pine for sale, according to Mr L. Macintosh Ellis, of Sydney, a former director of forestry in New Zealand, who has arrived in Christchurch after inspecting the timber lands of the West Coast, Nelson, and North Canterbury. Mr Ellis said that there was a rapidly expanding demand for good building timber in Australia, and that the mills on the West Coast of the South Island had a splendid chance of extending their markets. Scores of Australian mills, which had been idle a few months ago, were now unable to cope with the business offering. This very satisfactory state of affairs was largely due to the imposition of a high tariff on timber fiom the Baltic and other countries which had been dumped in Australia for many years. Mr Ellis considered that if the West Coast markets were increased in proportion to their present opportunities they should return to their extent of years ago. Good Quality Required Mr Ellis added that the timber sent across the Tasman must be of firstclass quality. It must meet competition from a variety of woods from Queensland, Tasmania, and Victoria. But Australia and New Zealand had a community of interests and the rimu from the West Coast fitted in with the Australian timbers without prejudice. During the last few days, Mr Ellis, in company with Mr W. G. Morrison, the local conservator of forests, has visited the State plantations at Hanmer Springs and Balmoral, which together cover an area of nearly 30,000 acres. Mr Ellis was impressed with the remarkable growth of the trees, and by their health, vigour, and freedom from disease. "I have heard ugly rumours in Australia of attacks by certain forest pests on New Zealand plantations," he said, "but I can now give tho South Island at least a clean bill of health." Mr Ellis emphasised the practical value of the many millions of trees planted in the State plantations to serve provincial needs. This enterprise was now beginning to bear fruit. The splendid homes being built in the Hanmer district and other places from locally-grown pine indicated that there was no timber in any part of the Dominion or elsewhere to compare with well-grown and well-milled pinus radiata. and timber from other trees in these plantations. The increased production of soft woods from plantations throughout the Dominion showed that New Zealand's far-sighted policy in establishing timber farms was fully justified, and that the great amount of money spent was beginning to pay dividends. These woods were now being cut to the very small size of four inches diameter, and every part of the tree was being used for some useful purpose—for flooring, lining, weather-boarding, and for fuel. The large sum spent by the Government in finding work for unemployed men in the plantations was vastly improving the quality and increasing the quantity of wood. Mr Ellis also said that he was glad to see that trained men, graduated at the School of Forestry at Canterbury University College, were finding profitable employment on plantation works. He hoped that this valuable educative work would be continued, particularly as it was realised that the need for trained men in forest work was even greater than it was years ago.