TIMBER COMMISSION

Grey River Argus, 19 April 1909, Page 4

TIMBER COMMISSION

FRIDAY'S SITTING.

Mi - William Butler, sawmiUw gav--,i, n {ollowina evidence:— houTd like to call the attenbon ...fiht .members of the Commission^ ii. ta-t that the last inquiry held utJ State auspices in reference to Z Timber Industry was in 1896, tn a conference of those interest--0 w,as called to W^ngton. It will he remembered that at that time he .Side from a miller's point of view wa* practically as bad or worse than it „ as present. Some of the remarks nf the late Premier, who opened the conference are worthy of note at this time Addressing the conference he saul— "You have been called togetn,r to deal with one of the most imrov'tant industries that we haye v in Now Zealand. An industry which, to mv mind in the past has been"neglecte.<\ and it is only now that we are waking up the fact that unless some stcoi arc taken, steps ot a practical, rhfiiacter. the result will be detrimental to our country, and extremely pre}\idicas to those who are interested in the industry. If you look back upon the condition of our forests and ttm}>er lands a few years ago and if you ask yourself the question to-day i-ln* any benefit been derived by the country, and tbe people generally, and those most directly interested in the industry? The answer must absolutely be in the negative. Why, they have ffone on year aiter year, laijrc sums of money have passed thrt ugh their hands it is true, Wy have cut millions, and millions of fen of timber, but as far as they are concerned, there is no profit left and 1 have found them veFy little better off to-day than when I knew them' years ago. It shows that there is something wrong. If it is wrong to the millers, it is wrong to. the State and the State has not been getting thai value that it should. Has it done uoutt to thole engaged in the industn ? I allude to the workers, to me mill-hands, to the log-getters. No. The competition has been so keen, cvwv thing has been cut down so ouisii, that they have made very little, and they arc very little better oft l»r< l>nbly than living during the time the* have been engaged in this very baitl work. I say it is a matter, for rniomal concern as to whether this kc.jn competition, this r.u«*ing-down 01 everything without any advantage to cither the millers, to the workers,oi to the State, whether or not that suaU continue. My answer is, No; a»d you are called together on 'ibis oc-f-asion gentlemen to see whether some steps cunnot be devised to remedy this most un»ortunatc state of affairs." Tho foregoing might be taken as a charge to the present commission. The industry has since then -been on a lairer basis, the ruinous comwtiuon has given place to a more healthy rivalry amongst those engag«.l in the trade and the people of the Dominion generaNv have benefltted. We arc, however, now assailed with the competition of cheap timber produrtd by aliens under labour conditions that would not be countenanced one day in New Zealand. -As time is an idea amongst a certain section of the public that the sawmilIcts are making undue profits you have been asked to obtain information mi this subject. For the assistance <>r the Commission the cost of timber us produced by the miller has been divided into two headings — Felling and Sawing.

There are no fixed or recognised methods of keeping accounts amongst sawmillers and therefore what one mil tur might consider a charge fairly attachable to felling another might charge to sawing. For instance, to which of the two headings should depreciation of mill-plant be charged when such depreciation is due to the slioi-l life of the bush-holding ? -.It must be recognised that in erecting a sawmill plant which strictly, has to deal with the sawing a larffc pr"j orci.i:i of the cast is expended an fixiiii'.vs that have no value beyond the period during which that mill, can be served with logs. The difference of tb«'. cost of such fixtures ■t.td their value when the mill has cut out the Tmsh attached to is a fair charge against prbduc<iun and it may be charged either against coat of logs at mill or aKaiinst cost cf sawimg. In eiUiercase althcugh it must for the purposes of cuncnt accounts be an assumcu umrunt. it has a value of much grtVitcr moment than is generally recognised For the purpose of makingthe figures clearer I would submit j n third heading covering General Chaises not strictly chargeable to either felling or sawing. I estimate the cost of production on the West Coast as follows; — . , per 1 ooft. Cost of logs at mill 3 6 including Royalty. . Sawiiitf ... „. , g General charges ,„ „„ ( 2 Total S 4 This, is loaded upon railway trucks. There is the railway freight to ships silc to be addtd. in this connection I may state that »a i have not been engaged in sawmilling on the West Coast since 1901 tho above costs of milling are based upon observation more than actual accounts. As bearing on the mr ticascd price of timber to-day as tomyared with 10 years ago I submit the following list of rate of wages paid on the West Coast in Uhe year 1898, « .■^- ***** *^- per day Bushman ... q Sniggex j... 4 .'. .. g Winch Driver ... .... „.. .... 7 Tracker .... M ... „.. 8 Trollyman ... ..... J} Sawyer ... .... .... „. jo Tailer-out ... .... 0 Head Break-down ... ... ... y/6 Tail do. . ... 6 Fiddler '. ... 6 Engine driver ... £2 per week Slabby ..... ... 7 Hear) Yardman .... ..... 8/6 Assistant yard (youth; ... 5 The close proximity of me bush to the mill and other facilities* were Mch that our wages cost of timber loacku in'.o railway trucks was much lower th.<n tho cost would be to-day. As Butler Bros, have^-not recently bc?n celling to any New Zealand market I have no evidence to give on the sub-heads "cost to merchant," * and "cost to consumer." Uponitdie subject* or selling to the consumer direct, however, we have always found when dealing from the West ' Goast that it wus a necessity to deal through the meichants. The method of .'transpj.t to Wellington or Christchurch prevent sending definite specifications with sufficient accuracy to ensure succe;s 111 supplying retail orders. inspecting Oregon pint foi tke itiJomntiDn of the Commission I may iM'u that having acquired a block ot bush South of Hokitika our firm decided tiiat it would be advisable to in\ estimate American methods of milliirtr and to purchase suitable . plant for cutting out the above mentioned lm»h. With ithat object in view I (with my .brother) went to Canada andJUWsTfIT. We arrived at Vancouver V '"last May. We found that orders ior two million to three million, feet of Oregon pine of the class known! as "Merchantable", had been purchased by several New Zealand firms. We w«ro able ,to procure copies of the specifications, of sizes ordered and were offered similar lines at $17.00 per r,ooft (this is £ little over 7s I per 100 feet) c.i.f. Auckland, WellingL ton, or Lyttelton.

Upou inquiring at the Shipping Coy* office we .found that the rate of freight from Vancouver to New Zealand ports was 25s 6d per i,ooort/>r a fraction over 2s 6d per 100 ft. This meant ihat the f.o.b price was about 43 6d which considering the advantages enjoyed by the American miller is a fair price tor the cks* or timber supplied. It must be remembered that the home consumption absorb* the better classes of timber such as Selec's, Clears, Edge^grade Clears, Deck-planks, etc,

The quotation given us was on what is termed thetwelve dcMrirs 'basis as de fintd by the Pacific Lumber Manufacturers "Asociation. Now upon this basis while such sizes as 6 byil and 8 by il merchantable would be 5s 4d pet ioott the same sizes in select wpuJfl be Gs f&, ih Clears would be 8s sd, and in Edgegiaiu Clears would be gs 3d- Tbe ski's ffiven above are not exceptional m this respect but are taken because they formed a large proportion of the orders being shipped. It will ""■he. seen that the class iqf timber being shipped ,tp. New Zealand bears about the same relation to the total 1 outout of the. Pacl&c Coast taitt that I set onds J<imu, for instance, does to i mir New Zealand mills. The superior quality in relation to our 2nds Rimu is due to the general superior itv of the Pacific, Coast forests over ours That Merchantable is a quality tihat :is produced in excess of usual trade requirements is clear trom the fact that in the conditions of sate as set out by the P.C.L.M. Asr sociation' the proportion of all superior classes to Mcrcliautable are limited in a siJecified order. That is 10 say they will always accept an orJtr having an unlimited proportion^ of Merchantable (see rule No 2). It means that in dealing with logs as thtv come to the mills a large quantity :of the rougher grades arc unavoidably, made, and it pays, the miller to quit those grades at a puce at which it would be impossible to produce them if they were not produced in conjunction with higher priced timbers. It will 'be readily understood that were there a market for the -snds Rimu at anything nenr the present cos.f of firsts it would, nwan a considerable lessening in the costs per 100 ft of the whole, output., Such market is shut off from the West Coast by .the. excessive lrcights: Thes€ are with fair excessive freights cairying point of view) the same as for first quality, and forming as they do such a big proportion of i the ultimate cost to the consumer place H I>£yw>& ifee xoiihrs coatfrf tt> <-««cft the market

After cousideririg the position Trom the American side we were induced \o communicate with our friend in New Zealand pointing out the seriou» blow that was impending to the Njw Zealand milling industry. • I consider that the disadvantages unrtcr which the New Zealand sawmil'mg industry 'is .carried on are kiklj that wo cannot live against the American sawmillcr who has the following advantages:—

>. Larger and better plants, v. Lesser Charges^ 3 Cheaper Labour and unrestrictri labour conditions. 4 Longer hour* ' S. Cheaper freights. 6 Better Forest^: 1. Larger and fetter plants are rcudeicd possible because of the extetisivc holdings of timber lands which are permissible. There being practically no legis&ion [limiting their extent. ' Besides th^foreVt that may be held by th« proprietors pf any mill there are nurrierPiuiS firms who, having no mills of their own, hold and wor/f timber lands and sell logs to the milling companies. The extensive sheltered coast line and inland water ways of Portland, Puget Sound and British Columbia so universally avaUable for the transport of rafts of kuvs give to the mills on the coast uut.h- a wide field for supplies from outside sources that the depreciation duo to the cutting out of bush which form* such a big item in conncttitHi wjlh an ordinary New Zealand mill nejd not there be .taken into account. I wt.v informed! that in B.C. a "limit"' of 640 acres could be procured fr^tn the crown for 21 'years at an annual renital of r4o dollars equail'lmjs less than 10 pence per acre, and th-.t a Royalty of 5 cents pet 100 ft wai charged for the timber. In the PA it there has been no_ restriction to the number of limits taken up by any company and there have been no rates or taxes in respect of such hole ings. For the purpose of estimating . the quantity for, rpyalty_purj)ostt.! ihe land is or inspected and. the "estimate is' generally liberal to the occupier. From the fact that the American forcct carries much, more per acre than the New Zealand "forest the rental per acre torms a much smaller charge Witj 100 ft. than would be the case in similar bush to ours. vrSome of the sections to Puget Sound cruised- 125,---oooft per acre. ...■'■■•

iv the Washington and Oregon States,, which also shin timber to New Zealand extensive timber holdings have been acquired under what is known as the Stone Act (1880). Un-. df.v this statute any United States citizen can acquire 160 acres upon payment of 2.50 dollars per acre. It has been common practice far large companies to acquire immense areas through the (medium of indiviuual, citizens in the above manner. The American milter is bctt«-able to

1 eriu'p and maintain an up-to-date plant because the factories that are . aible to make ithc best sawrawHing machinery in the world and at the cheapest rate are right at his door. The economy of ' a better and more expensive, plant over a simple cheap one can only be .realised when, the life is long enough to bring the 'depreciation charges to an even amount per 100 ft in boUi cases For this reason what would appear to be an economical plam. mitfhl. when depreciation cnarges were added to cost, turn out dearer itiinbei than a more obsolete plant.

7. Lesser charges per 100 ft are assured in administration where a greater output is controlled from one centre Theic are no workers accident insurance to be bourne by the American miller. The men pay their own insurance and. the employers generally act as agents on commission. Rates and taxes on mill property are nominal. In some cases the local bodies give a bonus to induce a manufacturer to locate in their, particular district. Compare this with the fact that at Naumai, Kaipara, the White Pine Co. paid for rates and taxes, rent of foreshort, and will site a sum equal to 44 per cent on their called up capital. ,- 3. Cheaper Labour, etc. Most of the mills. around Vancouver employ laoanese.and Hindus' .'. in, . all but the prcmincnt positions in the mills. Such positions as sawyers, saw-doctors, head yacd-jaea, etc., are fi22cd white men. At Bellingham, an im'poitant U.S. export centre in ; : Puget Sound, Japanese are also employed. At Portland, I did not see any Japanese but there is a lot of cheap *taV ian labour available as the mills are mostly .situalted on the jiver side near the city. At the Rat Portage Mill; New Westminister B.C. I noticed only two white men in a large- mill where all the rest were Japanese. At the Hasting. Lumber Coys -Mill the majbrftv of the'inen in the mill are Japanese, getting- from 1.50- dollar to 2. 00 dollars per day ' and in . the. yara the rank and file are mostly Hindus at lower rates'. In order to have something definite on tbe. question of coloured labour I visited ,the Pacific Coast Lumber Coys Mill during time

that they were shipping a New Zealind order and took a photo of tnc group or Japanese yardmen actually •:««aife<l in handling timber for New Zealand. I questioned the white man 111 charge respecting the rate of w;urcs paid to these men and I was told 1. 00 dollar per day. This is tor a ten hours day. The rate of wa«es being paid in the forests were on about the samc"~basis as are paid in the Auckland district. The awcunt of Labour available at the time of m.- visit was appalling. The manager of the Pacific Coast Lumber Mill assured us that ho could procure 2,000 men in 2 hours. Apart from'_ the Japanese and Hindus ..'■' tih«re were hordes of Europeans, who, carried Westward •W in search of the best place in which to settle find themselves dumpt•«d on; the limits of the continent, liaving passed the better fields, but without the. means 01 returnina: eastwattf . v > Longer hours mean, not only inoift work for the day but it also means 25 per cent more utility derived from all the plant per day. The t»Mt equipped mill in the world is valueless' as a profit earner yfhv& it is idle, and conversely the profits from invested capital are immensely increased by longer I hours .of action. Where there are so many /charges which are constant per day the 'longLor hours \vorked reduce" these per hour or per 106 ft to the extent of so per cent. . .- ' [ $ Cheaper Freights are obtainable from Vancouver' to our markets then we: can. procure, bet ween nur own ports The rates as before mentioned per the Alle,v Line (subsidised by the New Zea laml. Government) was 25s "6d per 1,---oooft ba'dg abcut 2s 61d per 100, wh> : .lefrom Gxeymou'ih to Lyttdton sea frciirht -is:3s. Ad Jed to this we have railway freight is 3d per looft making is '.«i or is 6id more than the freight from America^ 6. Better Forests. The American forests are better because, they contain more timber per acre, they are mostly accessible • by water, and the timbei is lighter to handle and more symmetrical. The greater quantity per acre mate* the logging much cheaper because the cost of such work as tramwivs or hauling roads and the moving "of hauling-plant, etc., is spread over a greater quantity of "timber. The foregbng. costs beinff strictly iproportiona! to tihe-^acreage worked iirresfpeotive of the qaiuntity conitained thereon. The splendid v waterways fot ftoatiog 1 logs add jjroatJy to tbe value of the forests. The timber being lighter. and more sy{Tjme.tcrical admit? of being dealt with by automatic devices that could not be applied to oui irre.fruiarlv shaped afld varying, sized logs with anything like the same kucccbs : The foiegoing are a few of the advautages which __tell against the New j Zealand miller when brought into competition with them. Respecting other matters affecting the timber industry are.the questions of preservation or our forests and reaffoicstation. These questions alone are of such importance to our national welfare that if dealt with in a practical manner will justify the present Commission. That the New Zealand forests should be preserved, all those who arc truly .interested in the timber industry fully recognise. The period duiititt- which they should be preserved is however, open to question. Most of our forests are mature, and, like a ripe 'crop of wheat, should be garnered, such land as may be belter suited for reafforesting than for agricultural purposes should be re-plant-ed. To leave our forests growing in the hope -that the cron will increase 19 not a sound nolicv because the decay of the matured trees quite neut : ■ ral : zes the growth on the rising saajl- , inj£3. In all our forests are to .be 'ounrt trees in all-stages from the seedling the fallen and . decaying "Old Man." This condition has exJsteJ tor centuries and would coatinuc; so if;. undisturbed. It must be artmitted that the value or our forests as timber is only, a ; live value when \the .trees. • have been manufacture* into : lumber; ., and it v would •be iu3t as foolish, economically, to pic.saTve forest timber when 'it can be realised as it would be to cease cropp: ins: wheat-land while there is stiu a demand for wheat. The idea of preserving our forests' for- posterity by buying foreign timber, however unselfisb it may appear from a national point, is manifestly unfair to ourselves and to that posterity which we desire to benefit. Admitting that we should 'provide posterity with forest reserves it would be better to

realise on our present forest as soon as possible and replant better timber. Taking piir Rimu, for instance, .. at: a present standing value of 6d per fo/ift and assuming that the. existing forest, of New Zealand will supply our demands for 72 years, any'matured forests now growing rihiait will be remaining at that time, will have cost 16s iper 100 ft compound (interest at 5 per cent on its present value of . 6d. It is cpntended by some who h t ve in reality narrower interests at heart that by buying American timber were are saving our forests for posterity but viewed from a national stand point it must be ; wrong to hoard up timber at such a cost, moire particularly when 'by so doing we are stifling our most important :. industry. The "preservation -ot out forests should talci the 'form of disposing of forest lauds for milling purposes only (except these areas preserved for scenic purposes)' and timber should' not Ke destroyed for pastoral purposes. " The indigenous forest^ of New Zealand do not re-grow after being worked as do the forests of America and thereiots a ay. .timber which is -left in old workings is practically lost. Encour--1 agement therefore should be given to en&ure the cleaning out of any working and to lessen as much as possible the waste in manufacture.

Respecting afforestation! Roughly speaUlnc those countries such as Gerrofanv. France, Norway and Sweovu which to-day imanage their forests or« scientific principles have passed thrt ugK four stages of forest devel-'•»pntent;;..-jflnv thje, earlier" stages of set-" . Ueraent .the forests appeared> to-be so ahMiidantJ.tliat they were destroy-c-i to , giyc place, to pastoral pursuits.! Th£n[as?"se|t.iernent grew the lpcal'demanci'}; lor timber induced more care an;l itgjkvfpresits^ were protected for the sake bf~thij" matßrial supplied: Third' the increasing and constant' deihand for tiinber^ in all branches of com"inen'e.led^t'b the recognising, of timbsr as a vc'rbp like other .agricultural crops, toi;i)e harvested and made to gro./ agaiii;- Ivinsilly the forests, were state-guarde.d arid made ;to ; yield a majlmum ic^op. It is chiefly owing ; to the fact tfai^| timber is so slow : in com Inir to maturity that it becomes nee--esaiy lor the State to undertake retilan^\ng. Any 3dea of replanting our , naitive^frees for commercial, (puitposes rasiybc^ dismissed for the reason that they arc, so^ slow in growth. AUthorJtves have given the period • required for. maturing our principal timber as follows :— Rijnu 400 to 500 years, Totara 470 to ; ,§oo years, White Pine 376 tp 61 o yearj£ Kauri; 600 to 3,600, Black Pine 279 to, 400, ' Cedar 150 to 400 years ;It^is questionable, however, if any accurate date has been obtained respectih|r the date of .growth of our forests "such as might be obtained by accurately measuring and recording the -'sizje of -each itree on a ariven area and remeasuring, the same area -after a given period. Mr.., Per-,. rl'n (Conservator of Forests, Victoria) stated at the Timber Conference 1896 that in the matter of hardwoods; there were many of the.Tasmanian, N.S.W

anri Victorian trees that would suit our climate.

- The best cacalyptus grown in Victoria fit for sawrnilling in 30 to 35 years are Red Gum, Box, and Strongy Balk. For sott wood the American Red Wood would be an excellent timber to plant being very rapid in growth and while growing is uninjured by grass fires. It has been tried in ftolated cases in the. Auckland province and is peculiarly suited to that climate. In the eastern states of America replanting . is being extensively carried on. In Vermont, for Instance a law was enacted in 1007 providing for the yearly distribution of seedlings and transplants from state nurseries. The seedlings planted consist largely of American White Pine, while Scotch Pine, and Red Pine are also largely used. Prattically the whole supply is composed of coniferous trees. The Jack Pine which is largely used for railway ties in Canada is found to be particularly suited for dry sanoy coil unfit for agriculture. Tree "plaatmg: was encouraged on .the Canterbury Plain-. 5n the early days by the fact that timber was not assessed as a land value and that a bonus in the "shape of two acres of dear land was given for- each acre of plantation/ At present plantation is discouraged. Definite information on the methods employed in Germany, France, Norway, and Sweden, and India should be procured and submitted to Eepresent-ativ-.s of the timber industry for suggestions, with a view to establishing a State. Forestry Department on commei cial lines. A school of Forestry should be established to educate ;thos3 whose duty it should be to look afttjr this most important branch of our national institutions. To Mr Morris^— -He considered the" area of a mil should ensure a twelve years life Tor the plant. During that time the value of the plant would be earned. There 'has been a considerable increase in the price of wages. Sawyers were getting £5 a week. To Mr Hanan— -He gave up sawmill■insr. !on the Coast in iqoi. When he gave it up he had made money,-but not as much he would if he had been en.e,aged in /.another industry. About two years -ago He bought 28,000 acres, at £1 per- acre, ' iear HoKitika. He had offered to him Oregon timber c.i.f... Lyttelton at 7s. There was Oregon pine going into Christchurcli wh!»ch- must affect the locar supply. The supply of West Coast timber- from May last to Christchurch decreased. He would suggest the imposition of a duty on Oregon pine to enable the local millers to get a fair price. The present duty on Oregon was 2s a 100 ft He thought if another is. was pat oh it would meet the case. The tightness of the money market had something to do with the depression in the trade, but it was not the chieJ factot as regards the West Coast. Oregon has displaced about 4 million feet of West Coast timber during the last nine months- in tht Christchurch market. He had no' seen the Oregon pine that went intt Christchurch. The building trad< would not:" be hampered if "an extrs duty was put . on Oregon. He tho ughtjt desirable to increase the dut] on Oregon. He did not think then was a famine in the timber trad* -thrcughout the world. He though they should realise -on their timbe reserves. Efforts should be made ti put all timber on the market. Thi _ could be done by reduced shipping freights, and the excision of th foreign lirficle. The State shoul< fix a maximum price for the sale 0 timber, the same as they fix the rat of wage,s'f The Government ■ jtvoulk receive a royalty of £250 for a mil •lion feet of timber, and- £iooo dut for a million feet of the importei • article. The Government also res erved railage ratgs on N.Z. timber. .To Mr Field— lf the present con ditioris continued on the Coast thethev would have to work "for. th wagt c for the men. He could no enter into competition with the im ported article. His .(firm ha|d beeS alluded to- as erecting a mill to.com pets with the Oregon timber, bu he wished to contradict that statemen The firm bought the land, and the; were compelled to proceed with 'th erection. On his land -there were 12, ood acres of milling timber out of ai ar-ja of 28,000 acres. He was of op inion that large lengths of Oregoi could be imported and then cut int< sizes in the Dominion so as to com pete against the local article. Th 4mportation of Oregon pine would af feet 78 million feet of timber; ... j bijr proportion of- small lengths an importeH. He" thought the milleri would- be prepared to sell at Govern ment rates, provided they were guard ed against unfair competition. / bosiV appointed by the Governmen could fix the price of timber as wel as an association. The Americans prc.tect their industries against us Thoy will not allow a. British vessil tc trade from one American pori to another. It was ' only during th< last year that tlie- sawmillers felt the pirch of the Oregon importations. Australia charges 2s duty on imported timber. They -required a sofl wood, as it did not compete with the ha? c wood of that country. Oregon pine was not superior to redUpinc. H he was building a house .he would select rimu in preference to Oregon. To Mr teyland— During the last twenty years Jtherc had been an advance throughout the world. During thelas(t iterj years the 1 price of itimiber lands Ihatl advanced over 56 <p&r cenit. Thf timber lands, in Ontario have greatly increased in price. He did not know that the freights on Oregon nino. had increased recently -from 25s to 355. He read a^letter from a firm in Ameißca :tp Mr Leyland denying ithe staitements he maidc to . tKe- Press about cheaip labour. He still had his opinion. The question was not whether the Americans employed aliens, etc., but that the foreign article was depriving -our workmen of labour. If Oregon 1 was landed at Lyttelton' at ns.6d they 1 could -compete against it. ' l ' ' ■%. To Mr Clark.— The sawmilling' ,in- ;- dustry- was more important; than; the building trade. The sawmillers employed more hands than any other industry. There was over i 9,000 men employed in the timber industry. Tlwy-pay royalty on the "sawn output of the; mill on the West JCoast; He. thought all mills should be- 'txegjted alike in- Hljis .patter.,. '. ■ ';'' To Mr Barber-t-jln^some cases, ; the evidence' of interested parties ijWas not^ always to ; be' "accepted asr correct. He will stand to his statement in regard to the labour conditions un -America. , He" rwas. in favour of;;. is ( extid duty on the timber. Other industries .were not in. the same posij tion as- the timber industry. .He tteved in a protective not a? prohibi|iye -duty The ruling-, -rate of w^gesvif? the ' disitrict was „ 10s __• a- day; for labourers. "! Tlh^re' * weris a lot of • orient out ■ V vWprk owajig 4o the shortage ; of miils. llad :. his]- v firo^ |cohditions 'that Tip^:exis^th^^^i^ never have Bou^;,the:l^v^HpJkltii^.- ; - " v ! ' The Comii^wnjadjourned. at till Monday "at ;fen;Vclpic:k4 "r