COAST TIMBER UTILISATION

Press, Volume C, Issue 29517, 19 May 1961, Page 10

COAST TIMBER UTILISATION

Step Forward In South Westland

(From Our Own Reporter) HOKITIKA, May 18.

Plans for the establishment of a £500,000 timber processing plant to be built in the heart of South Westland forests took a definite step forward this morning, when the directors of West Coast Wood Development announced that a German tech, nical consultant would arrive in Hokitika at the end of this month to make final arrangements for the setting up of the industry. The site of the company’s plant will be determined after the directors have considered the consultant’s report. The company plans to manufacture particle board, veneer and plywood, using the most modern machinery in the world. Raw materials will be drawn from a wide radius which will utilise the waste from a large number of sawmills in tne district. This stage has been reached after three years and a half of research by the company, which, later, plans to set up a second plant in North Westland which will utilise the wastage from the beech forests. The second stage is estimated to cost about £1,300,000. Arrangements have been made for staff training and exchange with an overseas manufacturer, whose experts will train the key technicians. It is expected that the South Westland project will provide employment for 120 persons within the plant itself. Last evening, three directors of the company, Mr O. F. Martini, Mr W. J. Levett and Mr J. A. L. Martini, accompanied by the secretary, Mr B. W. Pattison, met the Minister of Forests (Mr Gerard), the DirectorGeneral of Forests (Mr A. L. Poole) and the Conservator of Forests, Westland (Mr D. Kennedy). This morning, Mr Pattison said that after show, ing Mr Gerard samples of the products produced in Germany from Westland timbers, the company’s plans were outlined. The outcome of the discussion was such that the directors felt confident of successfully launch, ing their venture, which will be the first major development of Westland’s timber industry as recommended in the West Coast Committee of Inquiry’s report.