EMPIRE TIMBER

Greymouth Evening Star, 28 September 1928, Page 10

EMPIRE TIMBER

PREPARING AND MARKETING. The report of the Imperial Economic Committee on timber, states: — Eng, gurjun, thitka, padauk, and pyankadu from India, western hemlock and maple from Canada, Tasmanian oak, silky oak and jarrah from Australia, Iroko and African walnut from British West Africa, greenheart from British Guiana and satinwood from Ceylon, there are some of the less familiar woods of the Empire whose praises are sounded in the Timber Report by the Imperial Economic Committee, published to-day by H.M. Stationery Office (Cmd. 3175, price 9d. net). The report indicates in impressive fashion the great and largely undeveloped range of the Empire timber resources and an appendix gives interesting examples of the purposes of utility and of decoration to which Empire timbers whose names are still unfamiliar to the public have already been put. A bridge across the Thames at, Henley is here shown to be built of pyankadu, and the panelling, pews and doors of . a church in Paddington to be made of padauk. Greenheart, prized for the qualities which make it a valuable component of fishing rods has also been used for dock gates at Southampton, while Kenya cedarwood is now competing with American cedar in the provision of material for the manufacture of pencils. The voting lobby of the London County Hall has been panelled with Indian laurel-wood. First-class railway carriages have been panelled by one- railway company with Australian walnut, by another with silver grey wood from India, while the tables of a popular restaurant are made of Australian silky oak. The committee suggests the means by which a wider use in the United Kingdom .of Empire grown timber from overseas may be secured and discusses the sources and nature of the supplies available. The report also touches on the uses and possibilities of home-grown timber, and points out the benefits which might accrue from increased co-operation between the owners of woodland properties at home.

In 1927, states the report, imports into the United Kingdom of timber, manufactured wood and wood pulp, amounted to 67 millions, a higher figure than that of any other raw material brought into the country with the exception of wool and cotton. Of this £67,000,000, the value of timber alone amounted to £50,000,000, some nine-tenths of which were derived from foreign sources.

The proportion of home-grown timber to imported supplies is small. It has been computed by the Forestry .Commission that, the total consumption. in the United Kingdom in 1924 amounted to nearly 1,100,000,000 cubic feet of standing timber (excluding imports of manufactures of wood) and that of this amount only 56,000,000 cubic feet, or 5.4 per cent., were supplied from “Home-grown” sources. The severe cutting, which took place during the war, is noted as a cause of a-cer-tain recent decline of Home supplies. Of the timber imported into the United Kingdom in the year 1926, approximately 95 per cent, of the soft woods and 70 per cent, of the hard woods were derived from foreign, not from Empire sources. The danger of a world, shortage of softwoods is noted.’ “Forestry authorities all the world over regard the world supplies of softwood with anxiety.” It. ’is to Canada that any large increase in the supplies of Empire softwoods must be looked for, and the opening of the Panama Canal has brought the resources of the Canadian forests more readily within our reach. The committee directs attention to the possibilities of extending the use in the United Kingdom of the Canadian Douglas fir —the most important timber produced in British Columbia, whose virtues for a wide variety of useful and decorative purposes are commended by the committee. The methods of conversion of timber in British Columbia are at present designed mainly for the needs of the North American market, and the committee suggests that, if the export trade with the United Kingdom is to be increased, there will have to be study of the customary requirements of the market.

In India investigations are being carried out which show that certain of the lighter hardwoods can be seasoned to be very similar in colour and working properties to the recognised softwoods. Several of the better known woods of Nigeria are believed to possess similar properties. The committee points out that, if these lighter hardwoods can be used in place of softwoods and supplied at competitive rates, a large market in the United Kingdom will have been opened up for many species of Empire woods at present unmarketed, and hopes that the Forestry Departments in the parts of the Empire into which softwoods are imported will pursue their search for local woods capable of replacing them. _ . , In spite of the great potential wealth of hardwoods in the Empire, these timbers are imported into the United Kingdom in great variety from foreign countries. Oak, for instance, to the. value, of over two million pounds, of which less than one per cent, is supplied from within the Empire, is imported into the country every year. The marketing activities of the Forestry Commission, set up in 1919 to remedy the depletion of the Great War when a third of the timber resources of Great Britain were felled, although at prsent relatively small, have illustrated the commercial possibilities of the woodlands of Great Britain. Interesting details are given of the grading of timber cut in the Tintern woods. The timber and thinnings were divided into 30 or 40 classes, ranging from oak timbers designed for furniture to bean and pea sticks, when each cla e ss found its separate market. Many owners of woodlands in the past, have not formed any settled policy with a view to depriving a, profit, from their timber, but have -been content with haphazard felling. On large estates, the committee suggests, the methods of the Forestry Commission can to some extent be applied. Where woodland properties are too small to justify the installation of a sawmill, the committee suggests that through co-operative action such as the joint purchase of portable sawbenches, owners should be able to secure the profits arising from carefid conversion. Research discoveries of possible new uses for home-grown timber are noted. It has been shown for example that English elm should be _ suitable for wood paving, and English oak and beech might, the committee suggests, also be more widely used for this purpose. It. should also be possible to supply from home sources a. larger proportion of the pitwood and pit props used in this country. RECOMMENDATIONS. Both “home-grown” and oversea Empire timbers have to compete with well

organised supplies from foreign sources. Thero must, therefore, be a supply regular and sufficient in quantity, suitable in quality, competitive in price and backed by adequate propaganda. The committee points out that to meet these conditions systematic work is necessary. The campaign must be planned with foresight and worked methodically and continuously over many years. The first objective is to press the sale of varieties of Empire timbers already partially known. The committee therefore advocates a policy of restraint in regard to the number of new Empire timbers concurrently introduced on to the British market.

The committee proposes that, arrangements should be made to enable the Forest Products Research Laboratory at Princes, Risborough, where at present investigations of an Empire character are only occasional and subsidiary to its general programme, to undertake work on behalf of the oversea Empire as part of its normal functions, and recommends the attention of the Empire Marketing Board to the matter. It points out that the introduction of new Empire timbers involves risk and expense which exporters with or without government aid, must be prepared to take. The Government of India have appointed to London an officer of their Forest Department with special know-

ledge of local woods in India. By keeping in touch with large users and important building organisations, he is able to influence the selection of Indian timbers for use in important contracts. The committee suggests that tho Dominion and Colonial Governments might consider the advisability of appointing to London similar representatives, and points out that, if the laboratory at Princes Risborough should undertake the wider Imperial duties suggested, such representatives might, act as liaison officers with the staff of the laboratory.

In conclusion, the committee deals with the means to be adopted for securing an effective voluntary preference in favour of Empire timber from home and oversea. The important part played by the architect is noted, public bodies and big companies can give a specially effective lead. “A few years ago a Dominion Minister, on being conducted round a recent-ly-finished municipal building, was told, with pride, that in that building were so many miles of panelling of Austrian oak, and somewhat similar quantities of other foreign woods. We would prefer that in future a visitor may be told with pride that the woodwork he sees and the floors he walks upon are made from Empire timbers, whether he be visiting a town hall, a university, a bank, a company’s offices or a school.”