WOODPULP AND PAPER

Dominion, Volume 19, Issue 155, 27 March 1926, Page 23

WOODPULP AND PAPER

NEW INDUSTRY SUGGESTED SCOPE IN NEW ZEALAND EFFECT OF AUSTRALIAN BOUNTY In view of the recent decision of Australia to grant a bounty of £1 a ton on all newsprint manufactured in the Commonwealth, certain aspects of the pulping industry, in relation to the timber resources of New Zealand, were commented upon by Mr. W. J. Keyes, secretary of the International Forestry Delegation (says the Auckland "Star”). Big American companies were now interesting themselves in the progress of the manufacture of newsprint in Australasia; and Mr. Keyes observed that it was surprising to find something, had not been done earlier in the Dominion to investigate the possibilities of establishing paper mills to take advantage of our soft-wood resources. All the natural conditions necessary to ensure the success of the paper industry appeared to exist in this country. Adequate water transport, the right kinds of soft-woods and the convenience of working them were three advantages that "were present at the” outset.

In Australia the large commercial organisation known as Amalgamated Zinc, Ltd., had gone behind the paper manufacturing enterprise and the publishing firms had given promise of an assured market.

"It seems quite possible that the large soft-wooil forests which have been nurtured by the State could be pulped for national benefit and profit,” said Mr. Keyes, "and the pulp pioduct could be ’ sent to Australia for manufacture into newsprint." The soundness of such a suggestion, lie claimed, was endorsed by the action of great American paper manufacturers, who were exporting milp in increasing quantities for manufacture in other countries. Within the past fortnight cables had been received to the effect that the International Harvester Company of Chicago had acquired huge timber rights in British Columbia, including pulp wood paper lights and pulp mills, at a price of about £1,250,000. The company was incorporating as a Canadian firm, and one of its aims was to export paper pulp to Australia. If it. would pay a great American company to ship wood-pulp to Australia io rean the benefits of a Government boiuitv, was it not reasonable to suppose ’that the Dominion timber icsources could be similarly dealt , with, Mr. Keyes asked.

The State Forest. Service of the Dominion had initiated a successful afforestation policy in the Dominion, and the scope of its activities was continually widening. If the State forests could be converted into pulp upon reaching maturity and thus be made, a very valuable national asset, then it was time, Mr. Keyes suggested, that the question was inquired into by the proper authorities. It was certainly evident that the assistance given, by Australia to the paper industry indicated an awakening of interest in the Empire Trade Movement and that New Zealand had a lead of which it should not hesitate to take advantage. .