‘80 PER CENT’ NOT FOUND IN REPORTS

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30499, 22 July 1964, Page 9

‘80 PER CENT’ NOT FOUND IN REPORTS

(From Our Own Reporter)

WELLINGTON, July 21. The West Coast committee of inquiry was strongly in favour of processing West Coast timber in the area, but at no time did it lay down that “a minimum of 80 per cent” of timber produced in Westland should be so treated. Neither the committee’s three reports, nor the published parts of the report by the United States firm of consultants, Arther D. Little, Inc., released with the committee’s supplementaries report on October 11, 1960, show this.

Giving its recommendations in its main report the committee referred to the desir-

ability that “a certain minimum percentage” of the timber cut should receive machining, processing and preservative treatment locally. Its strongest recommendation in the supplementary report was that Individual sawmilling interests represented on the West Coast must be given an opportunity of participating in any integrated forest-products industry devised as a “single large package” for the region. The committee’s recommendations were strong enough—but it did not get down to percentages. A study of its work suggests a much lower percentage than 80 would have satisfied its members.