A TIMBER TROUBLE

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 401, 9 January 1909, Page 5

A TIMBER TROUBLE

BIG CLOSING DOWN,

AFFECTING SO MILLS AND 1000 MEN. PROTECTION FROM OREGON. (Bt ,TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL COMIESPONDENT.) Palmorston North, January 8. A conference,; • representative of sawmilling interests in New Zealand was hold in Palmerston North yesterday. Delegates were present from Auckland; the West Coast of the-South ■ Island,, Rangitikei. Manawatu, Wairarapa, Taranaki, antl Hawke's Bay, and the " meeting'was probably largest, arid .most ;.:i'representative-' ever, i hold • . in ; the: Dominion. Vft.--was. not open to tho press,: but, interviewed after a six-hours' sitting, a miller, representing'vory, largo interests, told & pressman that/as a' result of the discussion, numerous mills would, close down indefinitely. There were about 100 mills, affecting fully 2000.-..men,'^'represented.at the meeting, .'but not'-all'of,(;hesoywould.olose down. > Tlmbor imports and Money Stringency. This meeting was called, ho added, to con-1 sider tho advisability of reopening the mills. I As it is, some will go on working with re- i strictcd output, while fully fifty mills will close indefinitely. -It:would-be a modest estimate to- state that, fully 1000 men will \ be affected by this decision. ■ It was further elicited that two.-of the main causes for. the momontous stop, taken Lby the the, wholesale imporI tation of, Oregon pine from America and the fenoral stringency in the: money, .market.', he mill-owners considered thoy could have tided over tho financial depression had . they not had, to contend also with their: foreign rivals. :■■■.;■ ■ Dimension Tariff-Wanted. • It is already, well known that the Americans have beem: dumping not only .bulk timber. but sires'.'that come into competition with the "bread and batter" lines;?- The sawmiller added:. "If thoGovornmentwould only fix a dimension tariff it Would help üb, but thoy. allow' the Oregon pine to, come in- in various sizes from 8 x 1 up,- and .they displace our lines;., Then there is an . export auty on white ,pine and kauri. If the - : authorities would • mako the import duty on Orogon the same as tho export duty on white pino and kauriiit would help us- materially." The Banks Blamed.

The banks were also blamed for their share . in the trouble; ■ . "They have been- harassing •us for; money, " said one of the millers. The position is extremely serious for millowners. It does hot' take a very intelligent person to' see what :iis,meMt 'byVthe- locking up. of so much oapital-in these, idle' mills, while many of.,them have only a limited time inwhich .to: cut .out their bush. Railway Freights. , , A good deal- of sarcasm was, expended on ■ the; railway ifreights, concession-given :'by,.the Government tp jassist -.millers in the crisis. ■ "It. is-of.'no use whatever," said the sawmiller. 'The reduction in freights does not affect; distances .under 160.-miles, and, even . then. what. reduction there is absnrdly small. ; When we waited on Sir Joseph Yfard in November last he said :ho was quite in sympathywith' the millers,: and was jprejiared to grant. a • temporary roduction ■in freights ■to'help.,lis fight tho Oregon, and this is.what - his sympathy t0,",; concluded • tho : i / WHAT MILLERS MAY EXPECT FROM MR. HODC. HIGHER TAItIFF OR LESS WAGES. 'datej»our. Eke-' I tehunacorrespondent/touches' '•'■the'iquestion—very ..important attho present moment —of how sawmillers in quest of protection will fare, at: the handß of" the new Minister oh 'He' also - indicates, that millersj 'finding' inndequftto'i'elief' either in. tho;:;tafiff; r 'Br]'tlia;,railway 'freights,' .may; 'appeal -to .Oourtii' -He', writes! ''Practically tho .-.wliolo of tho ;votes. of thbse'|Connected.\'with thesawniillin(* industry: ; were'.'cast .> agaihst/'the »new::' Minister'; ?- for .Onstoms, tie .Hon;i-;Ai"W."HogK,-:at. the "last' .general olection, to the stand 'on .imported.timber;:afid it will'be^: interesting : to. ;nqte;the attitude he will assiirco when ,this.vexed.:qnestion, 'from a Sawmiller's point of view ; oomes .up for final settlement. ■:' - '-..'^lt;. is:'-'under&cood' application "-■ i 8..BhMily..'to ! ;be.,made';tbHh'e : 'Arbitration; .Court by- those connected >rith the sawmilling . in- ■ dnrtry- for ia.'reductioh' in-the" awaird rate; of wages." > • • r ' , ■ ,

"A LOT OF TALKI" OPINION OF A LOCAL TIMBER MAN. , A ..member .of i one of the largest-timber firms; operating', in Wellington was consulted last evening as, to, what-would be the-effect of tho aotion that the timber, millers in .conference, had, decided to take, , viz.,dosing down a number.,,of, mills. Our informant ; stated that : he :was in a position to state that/ the threatened aotion would ■: not affeot local supplies in the. least: degree. There had been: a'lot of ' talk., which might > on the - surface to m serious :one,; .but,there^w3s/little ■•or,-.nothing -in : it. Questioned' as. to. why that was : the ease,' the,timber man stated that thereivere enough' ;mills cutting ..timber oil .'royalty 'to' maintain a full supply. Under tho terms of their cut-' ting leases, they are bound to. pay so much a month, royalty,'? whether :■ thby ;cuV-'or--not)' and they had , not ; .the money to; play with which they would lose by ceasing operations. Tins -fact alone ensured a steady supply of timber,'and, if..'certain mills' did-close down., it would only be to the advantage of those who could not afford to do so ( wore tliev ever so willing. "-.;-. '0--;.