TIMBER INDUSTRY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 45, 22 August 1939, Page 10

TIMBER INDUSTRY

DOMINION'S OUTPUT

'f Figures and diagrams prepared from the New Zealand". Official Year Book .were submitted as part of the report to the annual meeting of the New Zealand Timber Merchants' Federation to show the position of the industry today compared with former, years. Attention was drawn to the export figures. "It is to be noted," the report stated, "that while in 1937 17,641,718 superficial feet of timber were exported, valued at £200,575, the year 1928 showed exports amounting to 34,971,773 feet valued at £376,979." Imports for the years in question were:— 1937, 26,971,846 feet, value £382,740; 1928, 56,806,334 feet, value £661,686. The total output of timber in New Zealand in 1938 was given as 322,765,786 superficial feet, compared with 270,214,420 superficial feet in 1929. Another table set out the amount of each different wood used last year. Rimu easily headed the list with 184,588,054 superficial feet. The Auckland provincial district produced approximately 40.74 per cent, of New Zealand's timber supply during 1938, and Westland 23.95 per cent. Southland and Wellington were next with 10.02 per cent, and 9.15 per cent, respectively. The total number of persons engaged in the industry was shown as 8364 and the total wages bill £1,935,995. The approximate total value of the industry ftras given as £2,057,088.