West Coast To Have New Timber Industry

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30535, 2 September 1964, Page 13

West Coast To Have New Timber Industry

(Ntw Ireland Frat* 4**oeiaHon) WELLINGTON, September 1. The Government has approved the plans of Australian and New Zealand interests to establish a new timber processing industry on the West Coast. The Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Marshall) said today it was expected that New Zealand would earn about £300,000 a year in overseas fupds from the industry.

The joint partners in the venture, Messrs H. r. Piesse, Ltd., of Canterbury, and Blacklock Industries Pty., Ltd., of Australia, will finance the initial operations with a capital of £200,000, Mr Marshall said a modern timber processing plant owned by Blacklock Industries and at present located at Lane Cove, near Sydney, would be transferred to Stillwater, near Greymouth. It was expected that the plant would provide employment for 100 persons. Australian technicians and engineers would come to New Zesland to assist in the establishment of the plant. Machines- Installed at the plant would be used to menufacture ten-pin bowling alley equipment and lane flooring for export to the Australian market. Other lines, such as Special purpose flooring, would also be manufactured for export. It was expected that the export of these products would earn New Zealand about £300,000 a year. "Negotiation for the establishment of this industry has been conducted for some months now and although there have been some problems associated with the proposals plseed before the Government, I am pleased to say they have been overcome successfully," said Mr Marshall "The Government is particu-

larly pleased that the’new industry will ba sited on the West Coast because this is in accordance with-our policy of encouraging the full and economic utilisation of the very great timber resources which exist in that- region." The Stillwater plant would produce about two snUilon super feet of fully processed •Westland beech each year for the Australian markat This would be two and a half times greater than last year’s total out of all species of Westland beeeh. . Commenting on Mr Marshall’s announcement, the New Zealand operations manager for Blaeklock Industries (Mr D. Marsh) said the joint partners In the venture were delighted with the Government’s decision. The export msrket which would be created eould be the forerunner

of other export ventures which his company had in mind and which would now be examined in detail. ■ Construction of the Stillwater plant would begin almost immediately,' said Mr Marsh. It was expected that production would be under way withiu 12 months. The first timber for processing would be out within the next week or so. Paying tribute to the Government for approving the project, Mr Marsh said; "The joint partners in this project look forwsrd to a very successful venture which will undoubtedly benefit New Zealand, and the West Coast region in particular.” As a direct result of the establishment of the Stillwater plant it is expected that the sport of ten-pin bowling will be introduced into New Zealand.

It is understood that some of the bowling equipment manufactured at Stillwater will be made available to the New Zealand market and that Wellington will probably be the site of the first bowling centre. No import licences will, however, be issued for tenpin bowling equipment until the company has commenced to earn overseas exchange and then only limited licences will be available. In Australia; Blaeklock Industries are the major manufacturers of ten-pin alley equipment and their operations exteqd to every State in the Commonwealth.