Plywood Export May Be Allowed

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31123, 28 July 1966, Page 3

Plywood Export May Be Allowed

<-Veic Zealand Press Association* WELLINGTON, July 27. Regular export of plywood made from indigenous timbers might be permitted, the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Marshall) said today.

He was replying in Parlia-: ment to a question from Sir! Leslie Munro (Govt., Waipal.j who referred to a statement; by the managing-director ofi Fletcher Holdings, Ltd., in: his annual report. Sir Leslie Munro asked Mr; Marshall to comment on the. statement that as far as the; group was concerned, the' Australia-New Zealand Free; Trade Agreement had worked “very much in favour” of Australia. While Australian plywood was being freely imported into this country, severe restrictions imposed by the New Zealand Government made it impossible to reciprocate. even on a small scale.’ Mr Marshall confirmed that export controls in operation i to conserve supplies of indig-1 enous timbers to the domestic market prevented the New Zealand plywood industry from exporting plywoods incorporating certain types of timbers, notably rimu, to Australia. Other plywoods might be

freely exported, Mr Marshall said. j “The Government is at pre- ; sent re-examining the position as a result of which it may allow the export of some ; quantities of plywood made from indigenous timbers on a regular basis,” said the Min-! I ister. ;