TIMBER GRADING

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 June 1928, Page 2

TIMBER GRADING

UNIFORM CLASSIFICATION. In April last year the Prime Minister, recognising the serious position and difficulties confronting the sawmilling industry of the Dominion, set up a Special Timber Committee of State Departmental officers to examine the circumstances of the industry and recommend any steps that could immediately be set afoot which might be calculated to effect a speedy improvement in the sawmilling outlook. As of prime importance, it was recommended by the Committee that: — “As an essential preliminary the millers should adopt a standard system of grading and classification backed up by rigid inspection,” and this was recommended for the immediate consideration of millers “who must do all they possibly can in tlheir own interests, as well as in the interests of the ultimate consumer, to meet especially external competition.” The recommendation was submitted to the Executive Committee of the Dominion Federated Sawmillers’ Association, and subsequently there were added to the Special Committee the President and Secretary of that body and a representative of unassociated mills to draft new uniform rules for the classification and grading of timber and to draw up definitions of maximum defects and blemishes allowable in each grade. This work was at once proceeded with, but it involved an immense amount of detailed labour and examination of present grading practices and of the actual product at a number of mTTTs in eacn limber district. Hence, the compilation of the rules and definitions occupied a considerable time.

As a result of the information gathered and of careful and prolonged study of -the problem, however, there have been drafted a set of rules and definitions v. hidh the Special Timber Committee consider should fulfil the objec?~Tn view and be possible of general and complete adoption with the least amount of disturbance to the several divisions of the timber trade and the practices of timber users These have been circulated for the consideration of all sawmillers. It is intended that meetings of sawmillers will be held as speedily as possible in each timber district; that at Greymouth will be held on Friday next at 11.30 a.m. At these meetings a member of the Executive "Committee of the Dominion Federated Sawmillers’ Association and two members of the Government Committee will be in attendance to explain the details of the new grading system and the objects to be attained by its adoption, and to answer any questions concerning points upon which any sawmillers may be in doubt. On the other hand, however, it is desired to intimate that these uniform grading rules and definitions of defects for New Zealand timbers *(subject to any amendment the Committee may accept as calculated to improve them) will be definitely adopted by all departments or branches of the Government which use timber, or direct or control specification thereof, as the

basis for all transactions with or con-

cerning the use of timber in future. This will apply equally to State Departments which actually use the timber and to those which, make advances upon the. security of buildings or house properly. Consequently only those sawmills which adopt the new uniform grading system will he eligible to cater for iGovernment timber requirements ; but in return for sudh service the Committee will recommend that only New Zealand timbers shall be

specified or allowed by the Departments concerned. In this way it is fully anticipated that—so long as the prices of New Zealand timbers remain reasonable—the exclusive use of the product of New Zealand mills will become general and will be given preference to any imported timber or imported wood substitutes. This should immediately effect substantial improvement in the outlook for the whole timber industry of the Dominion.