DUTY OR NO DUTY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 262, 29 July 1908, Page 8

DUTY OR NO DUTY.

ORECON TIMBER. VIEWS OF THE CONTRACTORS. \ A deputation from the Now Zealand Federated Builders' : and 'Contractors' Associa-' tion . submitted 'reasons yesterday to-, the rrime'Minister' (Sir Joseph Ward), : why thero ;sh6iild not'-be-'a' prohibitive'.,duty on Oregon pine. - The deputation-was introduced by Mr. Barberj M P-, and consisted ,of Messrs. W. H. Bennett' (president), W. S- Thompson, D. M'Lean,V G. Russell, W. A. Grenfe]l, and others.' The Hon. A. R. Guinness and. Mr. ; Tv'-E; .'-Y.-'Seddon-were-also; present'.*'•' ; Mr., W: ',H. .Bennett ' '(president) said that .when,' some'time ;ago; a request'had been, made for'the removal of duty on Oregon pine' ,a,.scarcity had'existed,' but sinco then, there I had been'a.'slump,': and the timber: could be landed here at ■a; reduced, cost, thus, removing the 'necessity for'completely talcing off the duty. • However,' as the'local merchants had met and 'fixed'the : salo price, it was evident I. that if" the duty were removed much. of that | advantage of the reduction would go into the pockets; of'the''mefchahts.' There was little foradation .'for''^^he l ;''allegations that the Oregon • importations '■ were responsible for the falL'iii'lth'e, New -Zealand itimber trade,; the real this bPing the almost total, stoppage of residential buildings in the local suburbs.'": The 'big';city'. contracts .in brick' did not; require'.'niucll, timber.' There was no . cause'jfor 1 alarm, .'pr'i ais likelihood that Ore-' gon-timber ! wasgoing ; to'*supplant -New.Zea-. land; timbers. He' contrasted tho two tim l bers,; ahd''-showed 'that Jtha' Oregon pine was not suitable'-for wQrk in which it would-be exposed "to-' the 'weather,. rusticating,' or flooring. -'.Its'grairi''was' l unsuitable. : It would . not 'take''the-plac'e;:bf' tPt'ar'a.. ; Ho '.submitted samples-to:the 'Premier.".:' On' tho' other hand, it.'was: indispensable-'for;.'other -classes';of work. He'; qiiot'e'd - the prices ;of .rimu : and Oregon>to: show 'that"in- long- lengths, over. ■20ft.y the; former .rose/in: cost, put of proportion; to the; Oregon, and, .therefore,, for joisting, roof timber, .principals,'it was required. The rate of 32ft.; Oregon 'timber was, lUs., Gd. per 100,- and;pf :rim'u :34's; ' 3d.; In Sydney Oregon , was cheaper','still. ' The! importations, of Oregon would be ,a- check i on'the exorbitant demands of ' the .millers and merchants for timbers over 20ft. m Jengtli.. Tho builders ; had to: put up with these things because; the millers were .united'to-supply only to merchants. \ '-i Replying ,to - a question by tho Premier, | Mr. Bennett said that long lengths of timbor ; were,. used,, ;.pi;incipally jn warehouses and :lafge ; buildings,; but ..not ; in - residential house's.':"',.,.., , .... • . ! Mr. .G ; . Russell supported these, arguments. Red, .be'. supplied in sufficient . lengths: for beams; and ; jojstings. In two .cases of - which . he. 'know, specifications ! had b'een..i ( 'artefe.d-to>freplace.ired pine- with- Ore,gon..;;Hp:,argued .that,;since .heart -of kauri timber was, practically' unprocurable Wellington '.-an'..-export ■ duty' of ss. should ibe placed upon'it. Something might be said in' .favour of - - tho: ■ merchants: in ' Wellington' since ground rpntals the price of land were very highland consequently yard costs .were considerable.- '

v.; Mr.-:W. :L./.Thompson .gave the'.disorganisation '.or:, the mtiney "market- in America arid the consequent;slump in building as the : re'aV son for. the shipment ; hefe- of Oregon at : almost cost'price. The American timber market .fluctuated'very much.About the time of ; the 'Sa.n-Francisco;';fire it : was impossible almost, to get ■ a stock - of Oregon- pine here. ,The importations were not' going to affect .the sale,of New Zealand timbers. . In-replying,- the Prime Minister said that, m . .% 0 ,.c0.ur5e...0f -a'..few .days, the merchants were going,, to .interview him, and it was only.; right/he. hear all. the various interests ..before,', anything, was done. ■ .. , Mr.. Barber i .Thexarpenters,are also likely to,form a deputation., \ , The'-Prinie Minister,.said .that thore could, bO, iittlo> doubt .rates ..of . wages ruling bad, in the prices' •of. 1 timber, and consequently !in the cost of building. It • was ■ only.: right, therefore, that investigation - should be- made, as to whether exorbitant -profitsJ.were- being made out of material, and so causing a rise in rents in tho Dominion. Tho fact of the high prices all round," and the. general effect on rents beyond the reach of the average man was becoming so Serious; a question, that they,must see if they ; could not discover a modus viven'di that would help, to overcome the difficulty and infuse, some,new life into building in the suburbs," where'cheap rents could be obtained. The information submitted would be of value,- burthens wore-difficulties in the' way., The Premier ■ pointed out that if a tariff: wero, placed on Oregon, pine, it would ;involvo tho; question ,of: placing export duty on New timber and the .placing of a high export .'duty on "our own timbor would ,perhaps,mean .retaliation, and we sent away large/quantities of !timber in times of slump at home,; which .-provided a very, important outlet to millers,' who were thus enabled to rid themselves of any'excesses. If wo placed a highVduty',- say,;on log kauri, we-might be in '.the position■ later '0n,,0f having ah-over--supply' on the market. Tho problem was a difficult', one . to 'solve,..- and•-tho; Government should-find'out if:'anyone ;was-getting'an excess 'of'' profit.;lfsome' section of -business was' getting', more ' than, a fair-' profit, they should;, see'where that .'profit was, made.' Ho' was/ against, interference; with, private concerns,' but-if something/was growing 'up ', in connection!"with'the- industry Mnirnical to tho interests;-of ; ; the Dominion, it' called for in- ■ vestigation,' .and ,iV' might- even . call for -a I Royal Commission. ' Hewas against' Royal Commissions on-the whole, and' did not suggest that; one was. going to bo set up now, but/the whole matter .required ; to bo investigated, * to'see wliat-should bo done in the interest's of all; ' Mr. Williams said tho deputation represented tho wbolo of-New Zealand, with the' exception of the West Coast. '- With rogard; to the Prime Minister's statement that lie had seen - in tho oaners that the timber merchants were to interview him, the Wellington Timber Merchants' Association hold a meeting last evening, when it was, stated that .'tho matter of waiting on Sir Joseph Ward, had never been broached, and there', whs; rib-intention on their part to do; '/The secretary explained the position in l a. nutshell was that tho builders wanted: the, duty . taken off Oregon and the timborrmillers 'wanted it put on, but the merchants -held quite' a neutral position. They were simply distributors, and sold all timbers' that, fibre.in' demand by the public.