A GREAT TIMBER FOREST.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1422, 24 April 1912, Page 5

A GREAT TIMBER FOREST.

TAUMARUNUI MILLS.'' A correspondent writes:—"Mr. F. T. [ Moore, of Johnsonvillo, and Mr. J. D. Jack (late of Soaton and Sladden), have been busily engaged for tho past ten days surveying in the southern boundary of twenty square miles of milling bush held by Messrs. Jlooro Bros, in the King Country, close by Taumarunui. This block lias been divided into two areas of approximate!); 6000 acres each. One subdivision is being worked by Messrs. Gardner and Sons, and the other by Messrs. Ellis and Burnand. At present tlireo steam haulers are employed collecting logs for two locomotives, which supply two large sawmills at-Manuuui. A fourth hauler Kill bo in commission soon, making tho daily output of logs from Moore Bros.' bnsh total 50,000 feet. So great is tho quantity of timber held by this firm that it will take a generation to cut out tho supply at this substantial rate of consumption. "At a point about five miles behind Taumarunui tho four steel tramways of the largest sawmilling firms iu that locality, viz., tho Taringamutu Totara Company, Pukeweka Sawmilling Company, Messrs. Ellis and Burnand's, and Messrs. Moore Bros.', all converge within an. averj ago distance of one mile from each other, for tho purpose of tapping the rich totara growing on tho famous Puketapu .Block, these four firms each hold extensive milling rights from the Native owners of Puketapu, which fine bush property contains 38,000 acres. The tramways laid by tho four firms engaged in tapping tho totara country around Taumarunui aggregate 50 miles, and tho cost is put at lully £100,000. Tho capital invested In acquiring milling rights, erecting mills, purchasing locomotives, steam haulers, and other expensive plant is stated also to amount to another £100,000. Mr. Jack has had considerable experience surveying bush lands in both islands of the Dominion, and ho says tho quantity of timber to tho acre on Moore Bros.' portion of Puketapu far surpasses anything he has previously seen, and the most abundant class of timber is totara."