THE SAWMILLERS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 September 1917, Page 2

THE SAWMILLERS.

ESSENTIAL WORKERS. APPEAL TO THE BOARD. Sawmiller.s in the Grey and Westland districts to-day requested the Military Service Board, lit its sitting at Greymoutji, to consider tho question of exempting from military service men essential to the carrying on of their business, viz. sawyers, breaker-down men ,aud loading bushinen. It was pointed out' that these men wero absolutely necessary for the carrying on of an industry much depleted of its men .through the war. If the class of men named wore exempted it might be possible to carry on with the assistance of raw recruits. Mr F. A. 'Kitehingham, on behalf of the millers, explained tho position, and called Mr James .Tack, who stated that, if sawyers, broakerdowns and leading bushmon were taken, the mills would have to close down. Tlie number of skilled men was strictly limited. Thoro wore about 40 mills between Reefton and Boss; witness himself looked after three. In reply to the Chairman as to obtaining substitutes, the witness stated they were positions not easily learned and took experienced men. If was managing his mill with a, scratch team men up in years and youths undo/ military age. Ho appealed for three men now, but had refrained from doing so in the past. To tho Chairamn : Tho mills worecutting chiefly for export; the New Zealand trade had fallen off. The Chairman sufrgestod a reduction in tiie number of mills. The Xsiwmillers' Association could agree among themselves as to which, mills wore (o be closed. Three-fourths of tho timber cut was for export, and if the best mills only wore kept going they might ho able to manage to keep up the export trade. Tie asked for a statement giving tho average output per mill and the capacity of each. ■Mr D. Tennent, manasrer for Stratford, Blair and Co.. said if the sawvers, brcakordown men and leading lmshmeu remained, they could build up their staffs and manage to keen tlie business "goini. In regard to the closing of some of the milts this would be practicable if the Government nationalised the industry. On the other hand, it would moan individual hardship. The closing of a mill for a period meant rapid deterioration and loss, the. witness citing an incident in wm v '> over £SOO had been lost in tramways. Tf tho millers wore allowed the three clasres of employees asked for, they might be able to scratch along. Tho Chairman said tho Board would reo'uiro the full details as indicated, including tho number of men employed details as to export and local trade, and if would then go into the question fttllv. The sawmilling appeals would be adjourned in tho. meantime.