TIMBER INDUSTRY

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22801, 29 August 1939, Page 14

TIMBER INDUSTRY

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER FEWER ORDERS FOR CLEAN LINES “It. is expected that a deputation representing all sections of the. industry will wait upon the Minister for Housing and State Forestry in Wellington at an early date,” said Mr J. W. Callwell, chairman of the West Coast Sawmillers’ Association, last night, referring to the decision to close mills on ■ Fridays. Mr Callwell said' that his use of the term “ordinary building lines’ appeared to have been misunderstood. The position was that ordinary building. known as “0.8..” scantling quality, was actually in good demand. The difficulties created for the sawmulers was in the slackening of orders for clean lines—weatherboard, flooring, and lining qualities and sizes. In other, words, the utilisation of the log was out of balance. " ~ “If the sawmillers are to meet the sull demand for scantling qualities it can only be done by cutting clean timber and accumulating it at the mills. This necessitates the stripping and . seasoning of such timber with little prospect of its future disposal. An impossible position has thus been created and sawmillers are. insisting that balancing must be effected now—not carried forward to the future.” .The difficulties could be overcome by the Government authorities adjusting their specifications to permit the use of air-seasoned timber in State houses and houses built with State Advances funds, which were most of the houses at present being erected. . . "It is Indeed strange that in Canterbury where the standards of* house construction have probably over many years .been higher than in any other part of New Zealand, and air-seasoned clean rimu has invariably been used, that the question .of air-seasoning should gain the proportions it has now assumed.” he said. “The situation is of vital importance also to the timber merchants, who cany in Christchurch large quantities of air-seasoned timber ready for use. In the meantime the West Coast mills will adjust output by closing one day a' week, a decision for which it is regretted there is no alternative.” >