Sawmilling contracts criticised

Press, 25 July 1986, Page 2

Sawmilling contracts criticised

Wellington reporter

The Government has been criticised for its handling of sawmilling contracts for timber supplies in the BullerKaramea area. Last-minute extension of logging gave the worst of both worlds, according to the Opposition spokesman on forestry, Mr Simon' Upton, and put both jobs and trees at risk.

He was referring to a decision to extend contracts to supply logs to four local sawmills in the region until December 31. Nothing had been done to secure permanent jobs for the West Coast, and all that the workers at the mills now had was a short six-month reprieve before joining the dole queue.

The Government had not had the courage to make a decision one way or the other, Mr Upton said.

The successive extensions of logging without any plan for the future had compromised longterm sustained yield management as well as the creation of reserves. Labour’s indecision had hurt the long-term future of these native forests, he said.