“N.Z. Timber Industry Will Be Second Only To Farming”

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30106, 15 April 1963, Page 10

“N.Z. Timber Industry Will Be Second Only To Farming”

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, April 14.

New Zealand could grow timber more cheaply and better than any other country in the world, said Mr G. W. Pollard on his return from the Australian Timber Congress, at which he represented the New Zealand Timber Merchants’ Federation.

He said it was made abundantly clear that timber was going to be a very important industry in the future.

“It will be second here only to our primary industry,” he said.

A vast expansion tn the use of timber joinery in New Zealand and Australia was predicted by Mr Pollard. The radiata pine sawmilling industry in New Zealand was facing some difficulty because of the over-production of low-grade timber. “The joinery trade is probably the largest single user of clear timber in the world,” he added. “It uses the cream of the log, the premium grades and sizes. Take away the outlet of joinery, and most of the indigenous sawmillers—in New Zealand, anyway.—would face bankruptcy within six months."

The solution in both countries was the development of better - managed forests, capable of providing the clear timber which would be needed for the expanded joinery programmes to be expected in both countries. “We have had it too easy for too long,” Mr Pollard said in suggesting that the industry in New Zealand was not prepared to withstand

even a small recession. He asked for greater confidence and a more practical approach. Ten times as much must be spent on research as at present, to match the amounts being spent in promoting competitive materials There must be more research into the basic raw material and more work in timber physics, timber mechanics, timber seasoning and timber preservation. Exciting work was being done both in New Zealand and in Australia, but the surface was hardly scratched. Research was also needed into design, as for too long people have been asked to accept joinery designed in the last century. “I recently examined carefully joinery manufactured with competitive materials. It was very good, and deserves our congratulations; but timber joinery adopting similar techniques could have been made just as effectively—and

for a lesser cost. I suggest we treat with reserve some claims made for these materials. We should study them very closely, be fully aware of their potentialities, and should never under-rate them.” he said. Mr Pollard listed better joinery services to be provided as: sashes and doors pre-fltted and hinged at the factory; exterior joinery primed before delivery; interior joinery pre-finished before delivery; joinery better protected from the weather, and better packaged tor delivery to rural areas; interior trim cut, sanded and mitred; and the development of more component parts.

Mr Pollard predicted that in the next 20 years New Zealand would build more than 650.000 houses, and Australia more than 2,500.000. The joinery industry must commit and dedicate itself to finding new ways of doing old jobs better.