SAWMILLING INDUSTRY

Grey River Argus, 19 August 1944, Page 2

SAWMILLING INDUSTRY

Expansion Planned

BUILDING ARTISANS TO RETURN TO S.l.

WELLINGTON, Aug. 18. A substantial expansion of the sawmilling industry in the near future was foreshadowed by the Commissioner of State Forests (Mr Skinner) to-day. He added that with regard to rehabilitation he would ensure that, the men who had made such expansion possible would participate in what was one of the most important industries in the Dominion. '

Reviewing the most recent product;on figures available, Mr Skinner claimed ’ that for the last financial year the output would be not less than 320,000,000 board feet. The peak during the war was reached between March ana May, 1943, but the shortage of labour had caused a slight fall since then. Recently, however, that shortage had. been largely overcome by the release of volunteers from the Armed Forces in the Pacific. Already 444 men from this source had been directed to sawmilling, with over 200 from other sources. Mr Skinner expressed the hope that these men would effect a marked improvement in production and that further releases from the Armed Forces would largely solve the labour problem. He anticipating that the figure of 320,000.000 board feet would be exceeded during the current year. Dealing with the projected return of 'building artisans to the South Island, Mr Skinner pointed out that for many years the South Island mills had produced a surplus of 30,000,000 board feet, this surplus usually being shinned to the North Island. However, the recent dislocation of the Greymouth shipping facilities together wlh other transport problems, had made it impossible to shift this timber, and it had been decided that all South Island artisans should return to that island immediately upon the completion of their current engagements in the North Island. This would allow of increased construction in the South Island, where there were ample supplies of timber, and would also relieve the immediate drain upon the North Island supplies until it was possible to augment the timber production there. Mr Skinner stressed that the North Island shortage arose primarily from the necessity of serving current consumption out of current production. Steps were being taken to build up substantial stocks to absorb the current fluctuations in demand. Careful control of distribution would be still essential, because there was still a tendency for users to demand timber for work not immediately essential. Mr Skl’nner saX 'the manpower and the opening up of new areas of timber in the North Island were expected to give an extra annual production of 14 million board feet. The present rate of cutting amounting to 120 million board feet would be increased to 170 million board feet by end of 1945 and to 190 million bv th£ end of 1946. As only 60 and 80 million board feet respectively would be required for housing for the two periods 1945-6 and 1946-7 there should be ample supplies for other essential construction, besides allowing for the building up of stocks for the still larger programme for 1947-8. "

Mr Skinner said that to assist in preserving a balanced demand for building materials it had been decided to proceed with a limited programme of _ semi-pre-fabricated houses. Sub-flooring timbers and floor and weather boarding would be of orthodox construction in indigenous timbers, but walls, roofs and ceilings would be pre-fabricated with insig-n-s pine framing and sarking and, in a few units, flooring. Only 2500 units of this type out of a total of State ana privale houses of 5000 would be J Or , th . p year 1945 - 6 ’ leaving <s° be built in orthodox constiuction. (There would, of course whTrh" 2 oth l er classes of construction which would assist in preserving a balanced demand. a