TIMBER COMMISSION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 452, 10 March 1909, Page 8

TIMBER COMMISSION.

TWELVE APPOINTMENTS MADE. HON. T. Y. DUNCAN, CHAIRMAN. THE ORDER OF REFERENCE. Tho Royal Commission; to inquire into tho condition of tho timber industry, as promised by tho Government before the end of the last session, was adopted yesterday under tho hand of his Excellency the Governor, at a meeting of the Executive Council. Tho following aro tho members of the commission:— ! James Frederick Arnold, M.l'., of Duuedin. William Henry I'eter Harbor, of Wellington. Samuel Isaac Clarke, of Auckland. Hon. Thomas Young Duncan, M.P., of Oamaru. i William Hughes Field, 'M.l'., of Wellington. | Henry Georgo Ell, M.l'., of Christchurch. Josiah Alfred Hanan, M.l'., of Invcrcargill.. i William Thomas Jennings, M.P., of New Plymouth. William Hrack Leyland, of Auckland. Francis Marnier, M.P., of Whangarei. William Morris, of Greyniouth. John Stalhvorthy, M.P., of Dargaville. The commissioners are directed to inquire into tho conditions affecting tho timber and timber-building industries, including tho matters following:— With respect to New Zealand timber — (1) The cost of felling. (2) The cost of cutting at the mill. (3) Tho price when sold by tho mil) to (a) tho consumer (b) the middleman and (c) tho retailer. (4) The price when sold by the middleman to (d) the consumer, and (e) the retailer. (5) The areas of Crown land held for sawmilling purposes under the Land Act or the State Forests Act, showing in each case tho riamo of tho licenseo and the acreage held. ! (G) Tho estimated area of Crown land , still available for sawmilling purposes, but not taken up, showing tho districts in which the areas aro situate and the total area in each district.

With respect to Oregon timber — (7) The extent to which it is imported and the elfcet of theso importations on the local timber and timber-building industries. (8) Its landed cost (showing freight and charges separately from cost price). (9; Its price when sold by tho importer to (a) tho consumer, (b) the middloman, and (c) the retailer, and generally any matters which, in tho opinion of tho commissioners, injuriously alfect tho timber and timberbuilding industries, or would tend to promote their dovelop- • ment, including tho necessity or expediency of any legislation. The commissioners are authorised and' empowered, to havo before them and examino all, books, . papers, documents, and writings they deem necessary, and ' also to have before them and examine -on oath or otherwise as allowed by law, x all .witnesses or other persons whom they think capable of affording'any information on tho subjects of the inquiry. Tho Hon. T. Y. Duncan, M.P., is appointed Chairman of tlio Commission. \ Tho commission is directed to hold sittings at Invercargill, Dunodin, Christchurch, Greymouth, Wellington, Taihape, and Auckland, but is left to fix the times and make other arrangements as the commissioners think fit. - .i-Tho commission is required to report to tho Governor on or before May 31, 1909.

STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER. Tho Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward), when seon by a Dominion reporter last evening, said that the Government had had very considerable difficulty in mcoting tho different interests throughout tho country. Owing to the number of different organisations atfected, tho commission, to givo special re-pi-eschtation to them all, would have been very largo. The Government thoreforo caino to tho conclusion that it would bo better to draw the commission rather largely from members of Parliament, as thoy were representatives of all classes. In sotno localities thero were as many as a dozen workers' unions who might claim to be interested, and it was clearly impossible to make a selection from them all. The position was similar in regard to the builders' associations' and tho sawmillers' associations. Tho commission, as actually constituted, however, was representative of varied interests. The farmers wotild lie represented by Messrs. Field and' Jennings and others, tho workers by some of the members of Parliament, the sawmillers by Mr. Morris, Mr. Leyland, and others, tho builders by Mr. Clarke, and so on. SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS. . It is noticeable tliat out of tho twelve commissioners, eight arc members of Parliament, and another', was a mornbor until lately. Several of. the commissioners have business interests connected with timber in different ways. Mr. \V. H. P. Barber, cx-M.P. for Nowtown; is understood to have interested himself m the importation of Oregon pine. Mr. S. I. Clarke, of Auckland, is an expresident of tho Now Zealand Federation of Master Builders. Mr. W. H. Field, M.P., is interested in sawmilling. Sir. W. B. Leyland is a member of the large kauri sawmilling firm of Leyland and O'Brien, of Auckland. Mr. I l '. Mander, M;P. for Wliangarei, is a saivmiller of many years' experience. Mr. W Morris is also a sawmiller, and is president of tho West Coast Sawniillers' Association. Mr. H. G. Ell, M.P., has long been known for his enthusiastic advocacy of tho preservation of areas of Native bush for scenic and other purposes. " •