THE TIMBER TRADE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 410, 20 January 1909, Page 8

THE TIMBER TRADE.

ALLEGED,:TRUST METHODS. ■ EMPHATICALLY DENIED. I (BY 'TEt.tGDAt-n—PteHSS ASSOCIATION] Chrlstchurch, January 19 A loading antclo in, this morning's "Lyttelton Times," stating that the whole timber wade, from saivmilhng to the uoik of tho architect, is manipulated on trust lines, has caused much comment amongst the parties interested, who say that thero aro no grounds for the statements,, and that tho trade is in no way controlled by rings, trusts, or combines. ~ ,„' , ~r

' Mr. James. Ross, speaking to a reporter as & Chnstchurch timbor merchant, said that there was no understanding whatever between the merchants and tho builders in regard to-preferential treatment. Ho had had about thirty years' experience as a- timber merchant m this city ; and he had never known of any connection between an architect and a morchant. It was quite certain that the merchants and tho millers had no financial arrangements of the naturo suggested in the article. The millers controlled their own«pncesj and tho merchants theirs. It was nofc.truo that the output of the Now Zealand mills had been restricted with the intention of maintaining prices There had not been any restriction whatever. As a matter of fact tho business throughout tho ttholo_ of Now Zealand had mado a remark-. r able increase' in a very few years. The mills had increased their output as fast as they could, and whon business fell auay they were in a hotter position than ever to supply the demand and execute orders. In regard to a reduction in timber rates, tho article presupposed that tho sawimllers should have gone to the rescue of the trade by cutting- down .their prices. To, his : own knowledge,' however, thore were sawmills on the West Coast that had not paid anything likea reasonable interest on tho outlay even with the prices that had been ruling. They could notreduce their; prices greatly without doing business at a loss. As to tho merchants, if they had to decrease their profits he was sure that thero were many in Chnstchurch who carry on .at ialL;;.: A-'"short-Sime},aga'li6"ihad drawn 'the; attention 'of ;the ; :Minister r f6r Labour;'to the-'h'eayy'-'eii'" ..gensesxinltfe^timber , traded which \wefe. ;, not ittipthefgrades.; 'For ono : thing,-the .stock.;waß- ; in,,surMC§7^r6miiifes': ,the : stock:being , -inflammable/ large- area's 1 were' reqnif/ed-for; yards, and; as the; municipal -Tat-.- , .ing-;in VChristchurch -was-,on; the ouiimprbved principle,; the';-timber merchant. rates ■ were inusuaUy ;high.V' : A' : large portion of the stock had-to: be "seasoned'/before it i'was , sold," : and thel;merehant;'had ; -to-lay -but' "his"-: 1 money, for a'ling time.*'; There, wore' also heavy. rail-■ .Qreg6n ; 'pine, for instance,-was in some cases ■as-low as'Zs.'6di- perlOO.superficial , -feet from, the,'.mill;to* Lyttelton; "-.- ■■ while';;phristchurch■merchah'ts'had"to pay■ Is;,:3d;-from -the ,: inill'ionithe'.West'Cqast to the ship's.side at .Grey'mouthi;<and'3s: r fromlGreymouthi to Lytteltqn. :: .■That;-representeU'-the.'comparison ; '■'.between, ■.PreKon'^and^'ired'.'pßie , , 1 ■'•'.■'•■■■- : .-'y ; "■/■'.' '.;."■/;:'.;i.'-.'i:-.';V- ---.: "In:regard .'.'jfcb 'the'combine,'? he added',:"l knpw/ibtfiing; of ''it.v'ia. far- as , I .'knowV--the architects-h'aye : -no 5 consideration except for .the' '' : '- : ~-- '■'•' ■;:-;S.everal:.'architecte who. were; ; seen'"also denied; that/there was anything, in the nature.''TJiey/'eaid 'that'the:cryVorif»T ;per"sons;:; who were , .-interestedi'inv- spreading.; the : rumour/ One: ; the : (statement. "■■'- as , "ntter.;iionsense": : asfar asarchitectsinGhrist-: ■chtirch.jwqre;concerned., Anbther..meinber. ; of -the, profession ;said : -they did nqfeare in-the. least Whetheri.a- builder belonged to' ah : ,assb- : ciation *br "notiV/ There' was. no feeling one■ way ;prVthe\iOther.-initKat -respect. If, there was )afty:'.i9oli4s'tofft6''part''of.'the : wards;;tho,:bujldefst it,was a feeling of .'boM-'' dence-'a^djfn^^ipV' Jhejbuilders of Christ-. bhurch.i.were^a:Me,-class'.-of men.. They were gentlemenV;and:.they.;had:the" complete confl■dence:ofrtne''.architects. ■■There , certainly 'was -;arrangement; between -ih'e . two classes'.";-;Cbmpetitiqn, , .-which was, keenV-pre- , ' ■oluded the possibility;of'a ! ring, ".and the pub-, liejreceive.d: good value for theprices paid for, building qperaiipns.;'- >; ;'; ;;, : v ' l-' ■ '--;■- '-.■: '.■.'-'■.':'