WHITE PINE INDUSTRY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3053, 14 April 1917, Page 10

WHITE PINE INDUSTRY

Sir,—Alarm was expressed by a deputation 1 of the Timber Workers' Federation waiting upon the Acting-Prime Minister yesterday, lest # the Government might take the advice of certain farmers and, put a prohibitive ■ export tax on white pine. It was stated that New, Zealand white pine was the only timber procurable in Australasia which is suitable for butter boxes, and that to stop the export of it to Australia would paralyse the butter industry of that country, and that if such were to happen it would throw out of work 75 per cent, of tho men now engaged in the pine mills and factories. It was urged the Government should take somo action, because it was |Contended that at the present rate of consumption supplies would be exhausted in ten years, and that tawa be. experimented upon, of which many millions of feet were in the country. , Now I can give somo information on the above subject that will be useful in considering the question. First, it is not correct to say New Zealand pine is the only timber-used «r suitable for butter boxes in Australasia; because there is a pine, very similar to New Zealand'pine, obtainable in Queensland, and being used there for butter boxes. It is.not correct to say that New- Zealand white pine is exported to Australia for butter boxes alone. Millions of feet of it are being used continually there in buildings, as match lining. 1 havo just como from Sydney; and I have stood with amazement seeing such worthless building material being used in fine brick buildings. And this is how the bulk oTNew Zealand white pine is being used in Sydney. And anyono visiting the scores of timber yards in Sydney can see millions of feet cut in sizes for building purposes. Builders there are just as unscrupulous as , to what goes into a building as they are here, as long as they sell tho building. I maintain tho Government of this country should consider the enormous yalue'of the butter industry to this country, and totally prohibit tho exportation of any white pine, or the use , of'it'for building purposes, and conserve it for tho greatest of all industries in this country, the butter, trade. If 75 per cent, of timber workers aro thrown out of employment, there is other nso for them in. hundreds of other ways. The growing of food at the present timo is-more important now, while the war is on than any other industry, and there is a cry of shortage of men on tho land all over Now Zealand, whilst the building trade and the demand for timbv.- is almost dead m every town in New Zealand. New Zcalandors havo no occasion to worry themsolves whether Australians havo butter boxes or not; Australians do not worry themselves whether you have flour, fruit, or vegetables to eat. lour sawmil'ers want to fatten on the oxport of timber, and don't care about the future. In twenty years time New Zealandcrs will bitterly regret. allowing tho cream of their forests to be exnorted to Australia.—l am, etc., be export BM GHTWBLL.