TIMBER COMMISSION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 469, 30 March 1909, Page 6

TIMBER COMMISSION.

__ 4- ■ FURTHER EVIDENCE. IBX TBI/ZGBAPH—I'EESS ASSOCIATION.) Invercargill, March 29. The Timber Commission continued the taking of evidence to-day. W. H. Brent, sawmiller, said importations operated detrimentally. Millers suffered mostly from depression, which, however, was accentuated by tho importation of Oregon timber. Wages had increased in recent years, and the bush was further back. One mill, at Seaward Bush. was"worth two, in any other part of Southland. His company had taken up bush which proved inaccessible, and they had to give it up., The company laid a tramway at a cost of £1200, and now, sis years afterwards, the tramway was not worth half-a-crown. The Government should grant extended areas at Papatotara, across the Waiau. Some of the finest bush in Southland had been destroyed. It was- too far from the railway to the mill. He did not believe in conserving timber which should bo cut out, in view of settlement. Since tho Sawmillors' ' Association had been formed, ■ prices had decreased, owing to trade discounts. Tho differenco in cost of production in hilly and level country was two shillings a 100 feet. Seventy-five per cent, of tho output left Southland. The production in 1908 was 27 million feet, two million feet less than in 1904, and mills in that time had increased. The bush in Southland was inferior to that in other parts of tho Dominion. Wages wero as high as anywhere. Oregon timber was moro durable than red pino, also lighter. It was used mostly for heavy beams. They miist have Oregon for certain purposes. The 'Australian duty ou birch had a serious effect. Millers had gone to the expense of procuring plant to work birch bush. Tho cost of ordinary Oregon, lantied in Dunedin, was 10s. 6d., the same as rimu. Oregon was largor and wider. Tho duty might be increased on small pieces and lightened on large, as the latter sizes were not produced here.

H. A. Massey, sawmiller and timber merchant, said that wages were a little higher than they wero 25 years ago. Thirty-thrco per cent, of tho mills wero paying abovo the award rate. The millers had made improvements in their plants, but not to the same extent as in America and Canada, where they had unlimited bush, whereas.hero the bush was limited and inferior. He was inclined to think Oregon pine had come to stay, whioh would probably be cood for the country but not for the sawmillers. The freight on a million feet of Baltic pino ho had obtained was 3s. 6d. per hundred feet, from Sweden to Dunedin, which was about the 'same as tho freight from Orepuki to Dunedin. If Oregon pine displaced red pino at Lyttelton, 'ftest Coast miners would suffer. Thero wore about 70 mills in Southland, and 23 in the so-termed association. Merchants were gev ting tho same prico on tho average at Dunedin as they were getting seven or eight yeats ago, and at Christehurch the same as three or four years ago. Ho did not think the timber in Southland would bo cut out in six years—it would take more like 35 years. Tho Dunedin demand had decreased enormously ; prices wero coming down, and would continue to fall. He did not advocate a reduction of railway freights, because ho did not believe the rates paid the Department now. Concerning afforestation, seeing that it took so many years to get millable timber, and that there were available such immense areas of Oregon, and Siberian, he thought it wo.uld pay tho colony better to clear the land oxcopt in such areas as grow nothing but trees. He did not think tho importation of Oregon pine had much to do with tho depression; there were exceptional reasons why Oregon was so cheap, including tho rate war in tho States. Andrew B&in, president of the Builders' Association, stated that the riso in tho price of timber made a difference of at least £50 or £60 in the cost of a four or five-roomed cottage. The price for rough rimu has risen during tho last 20 years from 3s. 9d. to 10s. 6d. per 100 feet. Builders stoutly opposed any increaso in duty on Oregon, because it was necessary, being lighter and more durable than red pine, and because builders got it seasoned. He contended that the Sawmillers' Association had been formed to raiso prices, and had dono so.