BEECH FOR ITALY

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31345, 15 April 1967, Page 22

BEECH FOR ITALY

Interest By Forester

Samples of New Zealand beech wood should be sent to Italy to let furniture manufacturers have a look at it, said Professor G. Giordano, director of the National Wood Centre, Florence, in an interview in Christchurch. He said that Italy imported many tropical timbers for furniture and flooring. New Zealand beech was different from some other types In colour, texture, and its seeming resistance to weathering. “It would be interesting to have some samples for our manufacturers,” he said. When he returns to Italy, Professor Giordano said, he would try to interest manufacturers in New Zealand beech. The chief problem, if the manufacturers did show interest, would be the distance between Italy and New Zealand. “But surely there are enough ships travelling between our two countries.” If the freight costs were not too high he felt it quite possible that trade could be encouraged. Professor Giordano was one of 30 overseas foresters who have just concluded a tour of New Zealand. They left this week to attend an F.A.O. world symposium in Canberra on man-made forests.

Timber Shortage

Another of the visitors, Mr A. Metro, from Versailles, a forestry consultant to the FA_O., said most of the foresters had been impressed with what they had been shown of various aspects of New Zealand's timber and pulp products industry.

Mr Metro said the FA.O. predicted that there would be a world-wide shortage of timber in the next 35 years through population growth and literacy in Africa, Asia, Latin-America and in the Pacific. This fact had been confirmed by academic studies carried out in these regions.

The main reserves of timber were considered to be in Russia, Scandinavia, and Canada. Mr Metro said it was absolutely necessary for countries like New Zealand, where there was room tor expansion and development, to help to overcome the future shortages by intensive planting. “You seem to have started this the right way,” he said.