STANDING TIMBER

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 83, 4 October 1929, Page 11

STANDING TIMBER

STUMPAGE PRICES

REDUCTIONS. DECIDED OX

In an interview to-day, the Hon. W. B. Taverner (Commissioner of State Forests) stated that, in view of tho depression in the sawmilling industry and the difficulties which even old-estab-lished sawmillers were experiencing in keeping their mills working, he had decided, after a careful inquiry into the whole position, to reduce meantime the minimum stumpage rates on future sales of standing timber in State forests to approximately those obtaining in 1923.

"That this is a substantial concession may be_ gathered from the fact that this decision means for totara and silver pine a reduction varying from Is to 9d per 100 feet board measure, according to locality; for matai, 9d to 6d; for white pine, Is 6d to Is; for miro and rimu, 3d; and so on," said Mr. Taverner.

The Minister stated that in the "boom" years of 1925 and 1926 the stumpage rates increased in sympathy with the retail price of the sawn product, and now-that the retailers have been compelled to reduce their prices it is but equitable that the State should do likewise. v

"The Government hopes," said the Minister, "that this Relief will materially assist the sawmilling industry and pave the way to an early return to a more stable economic condition than it has experienced for the past year. It is hoped, also, that it will tend to relieve unemployment by enabling sawmillers to employ v more labour, and will likewise' assist in placing our indigenous timber on the market in more favourable competition with the imported article."

Tho Minister added that this decision would not, of course, be restrospective, and that the position would be closely watched and examined again in a few months' time.