SAWMILLS ON WEST COAST

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22802, 30 August 1939, Page 7

SAWMILLS ON WEST COAST

Loss of £IOOO Weekly OPINION OF SECRETARY OF WORKERS’ UNION IFrom Our Own Reporter.] GREYMOUTH, August 29. “The time has arrived when responsible Ministers of the Crown should use their own considered opinions and. discount those of some departmental officers who do nothing but place obstacles in the way of those persons who are doing their best under some very foolish restrictions.” This statement was made to-day to’ a tepoitet of “The Press,” by the secretary of the West Coast branch of the New Zealand Timber Workers’ Union . (Mr F. L. Turley), when commenting on the adoption of a four-day week at the sawmills on the West Coast.

The sawmilling industry on the West Coast, Mr Turley said, appeared to be in for a bad time unless something were done to alter the position that existed. Last week the workers had lost about £IOOO in wages and this loss would continue, unless something were done to provide for the use of more “clean” timbers, particularly in the South Island. “A cool £ 1000 a week,” Mr Turley said, “will "be a serious loss to Greymouth and the West Coast generally. The Housing Department and the State Advances Department apparently want the timber to be kiln-dried, but the cost of doing this is almost prohibitive to the millers at present. The plants are very costly. Besides, there is the fact that it would take quite a long time to erect good plants even if the millers had the money to do so. There is a lot of argument that can be used as to whether wholesale construction of such plants is warranted, as there is no direct proof that kiln-dried timber will last longer than air-dried timber. There is any amount of evidence that air-dried'timber used in* the South Island for house construction has lasted 60 years and more with proper care. I do not know many persons who build houses to last more than 60 years. “The milling industry will certainly lose its workers if they are compelled to go on a four-day week. Their wages would be brought down lower than those of workers on the No. 13 scheme/ However, timber wdrkers would be well advised not to change their jobs at the. moment, but to wait until an opportunity is given the millers and the union to meet members of the Cabinet with a view to placing matters on a more satisfactory basis. The parties concerned are trying to arrange a deputation for Friday next when the whole matter will be discussed.” He felt quite sure. Mr Turley said, that the millers, in the interests of the industry, had been compelled to adopt the course they had adopted as the alternative to the closing down of a number of the mills. “If flie Government,” Mr Turley said, "will take a commonsense view of the •whole business and not allow one or two departmental officers with a lot of book experience to run the whole business, then I think that the position can be righted.'*