DOMINION TIMBER INDUSTRY

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 9 April 1934, Page 5

DOMINION TIMBER INDUSTRY

BENEFITS OF BUILDING SUBSIDY

AUSTRALIAN MARKET.

Beginning from the last part of 1933, and up to the first few months of the 4 present year, there has been a better state of activity *in the sawmills throughout New Zealand, according to Mr. A. Seed, secretary of the New Zealand Sawmillers’ Federation. Air Seed told the “Dominion” at YVellington on Friday that this was largely due to the operation of the recent , building subsidy scheme of the Unem- I ployment Board. Although there were many large city buildings still under construction under the scheme, the majority of the smaller building jobs, such as cottages, were now completed, he said. Since about a month ago there had been a, very decided falling-off in orders and inquiries for timber, and it seemed certain that this was on account of the cessation! of the scheme. “YVitli regard to the timber export trade, this is -still in a fairly healthy condition,” Air Seed -said. “The inquiries for white pine in Australia have been slightly better than us-ual at this time of the year. The recent decision of the Australian authorities to insist upon the use of either New Zealand white pine or certain Australian pines coated with a non-tainting preparation for butter boxes for the export trade will probably be a good 'help for the New Zealand timber industry. “The increased degree of building activity in most of the Australian centres is now being reflected in a distinctly better demand for New Zealand rimu for flooring and lining. There ts a reasonable expectation that rimu timber, and to a lesser extent matai, , will gradually displace the huge quantities of Baltic timbers that Australia has been importing for these purposes. Because of the tariff Canada had lost her Australian market.” Further shipments of silver beech '■\ T ere being made to both Australia* and. England, and the reports on the previous shipments were very satisfactory, Mr Seed continued. The merits of this umber for motor-body building were receiving an increased amount uf attention "and appreciation in overseas markets. This did not include the motor car industry in the United States, where, owing to the smaller inteiided life of the cars. good quality wood was not generally required. With the exception of what he called, a “popular fad” in Japanese oak, Mr Seed said that New Zealand at the present time was importing hardly any timber. There was _a demand for J apanese oak for furniture—it went usually under the name of British oak—and this was in spite of the fact it was a distinctly inferior wood, and , was prone to attack by borer. Regarding depletion of New Zealand forests, Air Seed remarked that, while the subject was too wide to cover briefly in his opinion there was at the present time no cause for concern.