GRADING OF TIMBER

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 205, 27 May 1944, Page 6

GRADING OF TIMBER

Control Notice Gazetted The classification and grading of certain building timbers in accordance with the national grading rules is provided for by a timber notice gazetted this week. The Minister of Supply and Munitions. Air. Sullivan, stated that as a result of evidence given in recent legal proceedings against a timber merchant in Christchurch which disclosed differences of opinion in regard to the classification ami grading of building timber, some uneasiness was prevalent in the minds of builders and timber-users m general regarding the quality of timber received by them under certain trade classification names. _ “The national grading rules issued by the New Zealand Standards Institute in 1938 set out clearly a convenient method of classifying and grading building timbers,” said the Minister, “and is at present used and strictly observed by the greater proportion of sawmillei’s and timber merchants throughout the Dominion. However, it now appears that there have been some producers ami resellers who, while adopting the grade names established by (he national grading rules, have not sold their timber according to the definitions therein. Under these circumstances. the confidence of the public in these rules hits been somewhat shaken. “It is desirable that purchasers should be protected, specially while so much timber is going into essential defence works, against the delivery of grades.lower than those specified by the national grading rules, particularly when the standard arade names are used. It has therefore been decided that this protection should be afforded by issuing the control notice and the Timber Controller will institute such measures as are necessary to secure its observance. The notice provides that totara. niatai. rimu and miro building timbers shall not be disposed of unless classified and graded in accordance with the national grading rules, copies of which mav be obtained from the 'New Zealand Standards Institute, Wellington.”