MANUFACTURE OF NEWSPRINT

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21148, 26 April 1934, Page 20

MANUFACTURE OF NEWSPRINT

CANADA STILL THE LEADER MAINTENANCE OF TIMBER SITPLILS There is little danger of Canada's Supplies of timber pulp running out, even in the face of an increasing demand, according to Captain J. H. S. Mac Donald, of Liverpool. Novia Scotia, a representative of the Mersey Paper Company, who is visiting New Zealand with a large shipment of newsprint, which is at present being distributed among South Island and North Island ports by the steamer Antonio. Captain Mac Donald told a representative of "The Press" that most Canadian mills had a continuous supply of timber at their disposal, and that the careful' culling methods followed ensured plentiful supplies for the future. Young trees were left unspoiled, and the same area of forest could be cut again in 10 years. The millers looked on the timber lands as crop lands. As soon as the trees reached maturity they were harvested; otherwise thev were lost. The Canadian pulp industry was still in a slrong position. Captain Mac Donald continued. Scandinavian competition was not a serious barrier to its extension. Canada manufactured a better grade of paper than Scandi- j navia, and, moreover, the latter had to overcome an Empire tariff. Some Scandinavian paper was used in the United States, but mostly on country newspapers with slow presses. There was little chance of New Zealand developing a successful paper pulp industry of her own. Pinus insignus—in fact, pine of any sort—was not yet suitable for paper manufacture on a large scale. It was too resinous and the cost of extracting the resin was prohibitive. The United States had been experimenting with longleafed pine timber, and it had been announced a year or so.ago that the I manufacturers there had reached a j solution. But paper was not being i manufactured on a commercial scale yet. Canadian spruce and fir were still the most suitable timber. Captain Mac Donald is in charge of the shipping contracts for his company, and he came to New Zealand primarily on transport matters. His company owns some ships and charters others. The present shipment, by the Antonio, is the first brought to the Dominion in a British ship since the Great War. and, moreover, is the largest shipment of newsprint ever brought to the country.