WHITE PINE EXPORT

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 25, 29 July 1924, Page 6

WHITE PINE EXPORT

QUESTION OF PROHIBITION!

PROTEST BY SAWMILLERS.

A protest against the suggested pro: hibition of the export of white pine timber has been forwarded to the Government by the Dominion Federated Sawmillers' Association.

'.'The dairying interests," states the association, "are urging the Government to prohibit the export of white pine timber ostensibly on the plea that such measures will - 'conserve available supplies' for future years, but the.real object is simply to' create a state of over-production, within' New Zealand and thus bear down prices and values. Saeh a: policy would inevitably lead to excessive waste of available resources, and thus is diametrically opposed to tree 'conservation,' which can only be achieved by the highest pitch of utilisation. While the dairying interests on the one hand thus show such excessive j.eal for allegedly 'conserving' while pine, they are at the same time declaring themselves to be independent of this timber, and are now importing large quantities of Swedish spruce boxes at a price nt which the grade they demand in. white pine could not be produced. Last year the dairy - companies imported cheap American hemlock boxes. The foregoing shows very clearly that the whole agitation to prohibit the export of white pine is simply a move.to force a reduction in price irrespective of any reference to the cost of production, or to any consideration of the immense waste that would immediately ensue. '

"Early in 1918 a Commission was set up- by the Government to thoroughly investigate the white pine situation, arid it is understood that that Commission could not find that restriction of export would effect any conserving of supplies. There are no large white pine forests left standing in New Zealand, but white pine exists in scattered patches or mixed with other forest trees, and it is no more possible for the sawmiller to cut out only the other, species and reserve the wiiite pine for future needs ' than it is possible for a- butcher to-market, only the prime cuts of a beast and leave the next grazing for use in lean times. White pine is invariably found on rich or comparatively rich land, and settlers have seldom Waited for the advent (if the sawmiller to clear their ground, but have felled the bush in " large areas, grassed it, and stocked it with dairy herds. If'there is to be no restriction on this deliberate destruction of white pine, then', why should . the . sawmiller alone he out to 'carry the dairy farmer's baby.' It has been fully demonstrated that in working mixed bush it is impossible to leave any particular milling trees unfelled for future bush operations. Owners of areas containing white pine already alienated from the Crown for legitimate milling purposes cannot be expected without compensation to retain their holdings until such times as the white pine can be profitably used on the local market, any -more than could settlers having white pine on their properties be expected to refrain from felling and burning it if such process would lead to earlier profits from the land. Many areas containing white pine are so -situated that the timber^' cannot be milled profitably for local consumption owing to heavy transportation charges, but it escapes these heavy charges when exported.. j y|The' dairying industry states the association, "absorb only about 45 per cent, of the output of the tree, and the remaining portion is in 'qualities and sizes for which no ready sale exists inJSTew Zealand. If export were proliibi-* ted a very large proportion of this 55 per cent, would necessarily be destroyed. This would obviously materially increase the cost of production of the 45 per cent.- ■ ■ '

"The dairy companies have clearly demonstrated by importation of American hejnloch. and Swedish spruce boxes that they are independent of white pine suoplies, and that there are suitable substitutes for white pine. Why, then, do they seek to prohibit the export? If conservation of available resources is aimed at, then the Government should not sell any more standing • white pine till present bushes being exploited are nearingl exhaustion.

"As illustrative that'the present agitation by the dairy interests' is but a' concerted endeavour to force the price of white pine down irrespective of costs of production, conservation, or any other consideration, wq have been ■informed that a.gentleman prominent arid'influential in dairying matters north of' Aucklad recently purchased standing white, >)ine from returned soldier settlers at concession rates with the consent of the Department in charge of Returned Soldier Settlements. This purchase was ostensibly for the use of dairying companies, but the logs were more recently sold to sawmillers for cutting for export, it is presumed, at enhanced prices. Evidently relative to the foreging episode and in confirmation of it, we received a telegram from a Northern sawmiller'as follows :—'Dairy company sold me half million pine for. export, . they now asking export N.Z. pine to stop. "It has been clearly demonstrated in the fpregoing that it is a physical impossibility for sawmillers to hold or store the white pine in their bushes for • future needs, and this timber must be milled as it come 'in a face with other timbers in' the bush. Consequently, to create a Etate of over-production of white pine 'would inevitably lead to a state of absolute waste of the very timber il is sought to conserve. This federation, however, on account of. those sawmillers who are members, has given an undertaking that local needs will be met first, and this undertaking is being studiously observed, even at considerable sacrifice.

"In respect to the price of white pine, which is the real crux of the present agitation/the present-day royalty values have a very real bearing, as instance the sale of timber on the .Main Trunk just advertised by the State Forest Service, including white pine, at an average upset royalty. value ,of 4 S 4£d per" 100; whereas the. maximum royalty on -white pine only a few years back was Is."