OREGON TIMBER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 264, 31 July 1908, Page 9

OREGON TIMBER.

USED IN CABINET-MAKING. SOME WEELINGTON OPINIONS. . A Dominion representative mado inquiries regarding- the Oregon timber question yesterday. 'A big furnituro factory was visited, and it was found that' Oregon pino was being lisod somewhat extensively in the cheaper classes •of- cabinot-making. Its chief use Was for'tho insido of chests of drawers and the. backs of thij less expensive chests, chifj foniors, iind wardrobes. For purposes it was admirably, adapted-reasily. . worked, light, stroiig, and tho right' sizes could bo obtained at reasonable prices. ' :v In reply to ' a question as to whethor oregon was" of 119 • use' for front work — tliat is, for the insido parts .of cabinets of all sorts and conditions —our representatives was informed' that it would not tako tho French polish, and consequently could not bo dressed up clean to mako aworkmanliko job.

Mr. Bridges, of tho Wellington Woodwaro Company, states.that. it is all- important in tho business of cabinet and furnituro making to liav'o pickod timber, and that lie had tried very hard to got somo x sorb of system whereby tho timbor would be graded to some extent at least... It'was not easy to got Jmlfineli kauri of tho quality needed; indeed, it was much easier to'got tho Oregon, which eould always be got in all sizes , and tliicknosscs. "■

Anothor authority who complained of tho prico of New Zealand timber' declares that thoro is an arrangement between tho millers and tho merchants.- This gohtlcman says that if . anyone in tho trade in Wellington sends an order for timber to Auckland in tho hopo of saving a few shillings by importing direct, ho is penalised tho noxt timo ho buys locally by having his discount docked. ■ And yot they ask that tho 30 per cent, duty on Oregon bo still further increased. Ho maintained that tho interests of tho millers should not weigh against tho whole of tho community. Besides, by admitting foreign tim-. bors, : tho New Zealand forests,, which are hoing rapidly depletod, will bo saved to tho country tor a longer period. It is said that there aro only eight to ten years''cutting left in tho kauri forests of ;tho north, and anything to check tho ruthless destruction of tho fow remaining areas of forest should bo wolcomed instead of discouraged. . "I havo heard .it said," stated our informant, " that thoro is as much kauri stored in Sydnoy and Molbourno as thoro is standing' in New 'Zealand." Not 'so long ago, it was. stated that somo southern firms had found it more economical to buy kauri in Sydney than in Auckland. Only tho other day, I was charged 31s for 102 ft. of inch kauri, and it could bo purchased for 2-is. per 100 ft. in Sydney.", .' A STRONG PROTEST. (BY TELEGRAPH —rHESS ASSOCIATION'.) Napier, July.3o. ,:At a meeting'of tho Hawko's Bay Builders' Union, held this afternoon, tho question of- Oregon ,«ino formed tho principal feature of discussion, and it was decided to lodge a strong protest against the' proposed increase of duty. .It was stated that in less than two years tho riso in prico of timber in this district had been equal to 3s. 3d. per 100 feet, and from this it. could bo easily discerned.where tho enhanced prico of building had como from. It was resolved to forward the motion embodying tho pro'tost to the chairman of the New Zealand Federated Builders' Association, .Wellington, for him to convoy to tho Prcmior.