SILVER BEECH

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 147, 24 June 1933, Page 10

SILVER BEECH

EXPORT POSSIBILITIES

MOTOR-BODY BUILDING

THE ENGLISH MARKET

The possibilities of establishing New Zealand silver beech on the English market were optimistically outlined by Mr. R. Bauchop, a representative of the Otago and Southland sawmillers, before the Tariff Commission today. The Comptroller of Customs (Dr. G. Craig). presided, and associated with him were Professor B. E. Murphy and Messrs. J. B. Gow and G. A. Pascoe. Mr. Bauchop dealt with silver beech timber in relation to motor-body building, and asked that no alteration be made in the present duties. "Though it is not our desire in any way to oppose reasonable protection to the New Zealand motor-body industry (or any other New Zealand industry) there are certain aspects relative td the silver beech trade, both local and export, which we consider your Commission should be apprised of,'' said Mr. Bauchop. "One of the reasons which induced the Southland sawmillers to endeavour to establish silver beech on the English market was that the local and Australian market were not large enough to provide a reasonably continuous market to absorb the output of the mills in normal times. 'Any falling off in trade was at once noticeable and at the time tho delegation left for-England thera was (and still is) much unemployment among the sawmill works (barely onethird were in regular work), and it was felt that if silver beech were established on the English market with its wider field and greater demand,' that the mills could be set working again and the men taken back' into employment, thus lessening the number of men employed on relief works. ENGLISH POLICY. "The British public is at the present time definitely converted to the idea of using Empire goods, and the British manufacturers are endeavouring to meet this demand by using Empire materials in . their operations. It is impossible to say if this development is permanent, but the general opinion is that while there will always be some measure of sentiment in favour of Empire produced articles it will not' maintain its present intense feeling and that the proper time to establish Empire timber on the British market is the present. Failure to take advantage of this opportunity would make it impossible to come on the market again for several decades. "Little if any increase in preference for Empire timbers can be looked for, and it would appear that any -effort to, give further preference in the way of increased duties would be met. by reduced prices for foreign timbers. Some current contracts do actually provide for this contingency. "The potential market for New Zealand silver beech, both as rough-sawn timber for the motor industry, etc., and as dimension stock for flooring, furniture, and turnery is sufficiently large to act as a balance wheelfor the domestic and Australian trade in this timber, evening out.fluctuations in demand and enabling the New Zealand sawmiller to operate at a higher , percentage of capacity. The indirect effect of this will be a minimum cost of production over a long period of years.

FUTURE OF' PRICES. "It is confidently expected that once silver beech is established on the British market its merits will be fully appreciated and its face value realised. It_is confidently believed that timber prices will improve in England, but not in New Zealand and Australia, and that the present is the time to establish New Zealand timber on the British market and thus bo iii a position to take advantage of these upward trends. "It is because of the conditions obtaining in England and the work done and expense incurred iii the endeavour to establish New Zealand silver beech on the British market! that the sawmillers ask the Tariff' Commission to take these poinits into consideration when considering the duties as they affect the motor-body industry, for it cannot be expected that British motor-body manufacturers will purchase New Zealand silver beech if it is impossible to send tlFeir manufactured article to New Zealand. It is hoped to reduce costs of production to a minimum and that sawmillers will play a; part in the rehabilitation of the country by increasing employment and displaying enterprise in the development of a new market and-in: assisting the: Dominion to return to a state of normality.

WOOD PREFERRED. In reply to Dr. Craig, Mr. Bauchop said that, the New Zealand market could not absorb more than One-six-teenth of the requirements of the English market, which could take 8,000,000 superficial feet Dr. Craig: You are in a position to supply the English matketf Mr. Bouehop: Yes. ' • Professor Murphy: Is woodwork an ancillary to steel in motor-body .building? Mr. Bouehop .said that the English hibt'or-car manufacturers preferred wood. j Mr. Gow: It is an unlimited supply of silver beech? Mr. Bauchop: Practically .over a period of many years. . \ Mr. Gow,: Is it your intention to ship any other timber Home? Mr. Bauchop: We hope to send matai also, and tawa from the North Island. Mr. Pascoe: Roughly, can you get supplies for the next 25 yearsT Mr. Bauchop: Yes. Mr. A. Seed, who accompanied Mr. Bauchop, said that it had been definitely determined by tho State Forest Service that the beech* fprests could be regenerated by proper forestry methods and made to yield timber perpetually. Mr. Bauchop said that tho Department had stopped the running of stock on beech forest land. ■•■'-.