WOOD PULP PAPER

Evening Star, Issue 19840, 13 April 1928, Page 10

WOOD PULP PAPER

POSSIBLE USE FOR OUR TAWA EXPERIMENT IN U.S A. (.Special to thk ‘ Stab.’] WELLINGTON, April 12. Experiments which may prove to be of the first importance to New Zealand trade are now being finalised by Mr A. 11. Entrican, State Forest Products engineer, in the United States of America. These experiments, designed to discover the worth of New Zealand timber for purposes of wood pulp paper manufacture, may mean the establishment of a new industry in the dominion and will he of the highest concern to forestry in New Zealand. Sponsored by the New Zealand Forestry Department, the work of investigation was commenced by the Bureau of Agriculture of the United States over a year ago. Last June Mr Entrican left lor the United States in order personally to supervise the work, and also to become familiar with commercial forestry methods abroad. .If it proves possible to pulp New Zealand woods sufficiently well to open the way for the establishment of a paper industry the greatest problem non' confronting forestry experts will be solved. Now Zealand forests largely consist of totara, miro, rimu, and tawa; but while the totara is saleable at 50s per 10011 and the miro and rimu at 20s to <3os, buyers will not take tawa. as a gilt, aud in consequence this lumber is lelt in the forests to rot away. The importance of discovering some method of employing tawa for a useful purpose will ho realised when it is known that, next to beech, tawa is our most common tree, and that we must have twenty to thirty millions of millable feet of this lumber. . The work of investigation now being pursued by the Forestry Department thus is of the first importance, and its successful issue will result in great benfit to the dominion. It is known that early reports from America were very favorable, and that, in order fully to explore tho possibilities, an extra shipment of tawa recently was sent to Washington, while Mr Entrican s stay abroad was lengthened in order that he might be present through the whole investigation. Due back shortly now, the Forest Products engineer will return with news which may prove most welcome to the dominion.