WOOD PROHIBITION

Evening Post, Volume XCI, Issue 96, 24 April 1916, Page 8

WOOD PROHIBITION

NEW ZEALAND NOT AFFECTED.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

LONDON, 10th March. A Board of Trade regulation appeared this week giving a list of woods which may not be imported into this country. Included in the varieties was the name "New Zealand," which which one might gain the impression that a.ll timber from New Zealand was banned. Such, however, is not the case, and speaking generally the prohibition will have no effect so ,far as the importation of the principal New Zealand' wood to this country is concerned. From enquiries made of the leading timber firms in the city, I ascertained that the prohibition applies only to furniture woods, and it cannot.be "said that New Zealand supplies any of this to the London market. The Dominion can still send kauri pine and white pine to London, as neither of these varieties is affected. In fact, practically none has been imported for some months on account of the scarcity of freights. The present rate from New Zealand to London would be such as to put a cargo of New Zealand wood completely out of court. There has been a big run on the London stocks of kauri pine, this timber having been used for the building of pontoons. Kauri pine, I was informed, has always been stocked in large quantities on the London market. Merchants may'have to-carry their stocks for some months without a sale, and then may come a run. In the present instance there has been a run, and stocks havo been depleted.