HARD HIT

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 150, 22 December 1914, Page 2

HARD HIT

SAWMILLING INDUSTRY MORATORIUM RELIEF REQUESTED DEPUTATION TO PRIME MINISTER. The plight of the Sawmilling industry of tho Dominion through the slump in building caused by the war was set forth to the Prime Mihister (Right Hon. W. F. Massoy) to-day by a large and. representative deputation of leading sawmillers. The deputation asked for some belief from the State in the shape of moratorium protection and a Temisflion of rentals. The Prime Minister gave a sympathetic reply. Mr. D. H. Guthrie, M.P., in introducing the deputation as lepreeenting the fiawtnilling industry of New Zealand, said that the object Was to secure protection against certain dangers Which threatened the industry. The millers desired an expansion of the Moratorium Act so as to cover the industry, -which they claimed bad as just a claim to consideration as any other section of the community. The industry had been hard hit by the effect of the war, and at present w» a struggling along under adverse circumstances. WORK SHORT TIME, SHORT HANDED. Mr. Geo. Bartholomew said, the deputation reprf-enbed the wholo industiy, except Southland. Owing to the war and the falling-off in trade they had been compelled to ehoiten hands, and now they were faced with the difficulty of paying royalties on uncut timber". They, therefore, asked for tho protection, of the moratorium, until the *nd of the year, and. if possible, six months after. .Sawmillers could not afford to go on cutting and pile up stock, especially in the bush, with the danger from fire and from other destructive agents. They had not anticipated the slump in trade and prices, and it certainly did not pay them under normal conditions to shorten hands or shorten time -of employment. Mr. G. S. Boyd, representing tho Wcatland sawmillers, declared that building Was otto of the first trades to feel the pinch, and carpenters had suffered more than anybody else from lack of employment. Some of the mills had been closed entirely, and others were running various degrees of short time. The snwwillers on the West Coast had to 'go on paying rents, which ao cumulated^ Thfey wanted relief, not to escapo their obligations in the long fun, as the areas would have to be cut out. Something would have to be done especially for the sawmillers. THE KAURI TIMBER COMPANY. Mr. Jos. Butler, chairman ot the Kauri Timber Company, representing thn Auckland and North Auckland sections of tho industry, said his district was no better off than Southern millers. Therewere large sums payable to the Crown on bushes which had been purchased, two or. three years being allowed for payment. On top of this were large rates and taxes, and the mills, only working half-time, found it hard to pay interest, rates, and taxes. The Kauri Timber Company paid the Government nearly £1000 a year in rates and taxes, and now 'they had only three out of six mills working. The Prime Minister" ; I wish they were a]l as well able to pay as the Kaun Timber Company. If they were all as well off as the Kauri Timber Company, it would be an easier matter. I don't forget that the Crown needs revenue. Mi-. Butler: I think you will admit that the private individual is a good deal harder hit than the Crown is. If the original shareholders had put their money into the Post Office Savings Bank they would have been better off to-day. Mr. W. A. .Kllis, representing fiouth Auckland and Taiunnrunui millers, said the business had been affected so badly that they were doing from 50 to 60 per cent, less business than normal. A lew mills were fortunato enough to be cut' 'ting white pine for Australia. LOCAL MILLS. Mr. Seed (May Morn Company), representing the Hntt Valley millers, said that Wellington was feeling the slump prO bably Worse than any pla,ce in New Zealand. The particular mill in which he was concerned was affected Very badly as the ( capital was held largely in London, and the. outbreak of the war so stopped remittances that the works had to be shut down in a state of development, and had not since beeti reopened. Mr. < W. .G. Haybittle, representing the King Country millers, said the industry was now struggling for a bare existence. Mr. M. M. Carpenter (Wairarapa) endorsed the remarks of the • previous speakers. Mr. Guthrie added that the millers Were variously affected by the different ownership of the bushes on which they had to _ pay royalties. Where the moratorium would come in would be in the case of Native lands and bushes owned by other persons than the saw* millers cutting there. PRIME MINISTER'S REPLY The Prime Minister in reply expressed sympathy with the sawmillers. He pointed out that the moratorium did not apply at present to the sawmilling in* dustry, where timber was cut front private or Native land. Wliat course would be taken would depend on the House, and when the House would meet he could not at present say. The question would be settled in the nexi. few weeks. When it did meet he could not say whether it would deal with legislation such as would be required to meet the case. In the cases where timber was being cut from Crown land that was a matter for administration and did not require any amendment of the law. He was quite prepared to make a recommendation to his colleagues on that point. He could very well understand .the hardship of being compelled to make a minimum payment when business was practically suspended. The difficulty was that the Government must have a certain amount of revenue to carry oa the business of the country. If the Government did not get that revenUe, it meant it could not carry on. Tile war had affected the revenue to a certain extent, but not setioUsly, and they could not d<S With less revenue. AS WITH PASTORAL LEASES. What had been done with paslofal tenants of the Crown wad this? Many tenants in past years depended oft the large stock and station agents, such as, for" instance, the Loan and Mercantile, to pay _ their rentals during the halfyear prior to the wool coming in. The finance of such concerns lias been seriously disturbed by the war owing to the connection of the companies with the Old Country. They found themselved unable to do what tliey had done in past years, So wo had to postpone in many cases the payment of rentals, each case being treated on its merits. The Crown practically took the place of the companies with which the business had been done in past yea-rs. The Govern* ment Was quite willing to do that so far as the sawmillei's Were concerned. At' the present moment he could not say what the Government would be prepared to do, but he would place the matter before Cabinet. He had full sympathy with the men, who wore trying to carry on an industry which had been very seriously affected by the war, a*

the eawmilling industry had been through the falling-off in building and Other work. The difficulties of the country, ho was glad to say, were not very Serious, and the outlook as a whole was good. He would look into the case of the sawmillers and see what could be done.