FORESTRY LEGISLATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 July 1919, Page 4

FORESTRY LEGISLATION.

Replying to n deputation from the Timber Workers Conference at Wellington on Tuesday last, the Hon. W. I). >S. -MacDonald said that he, and the Minister of Forestry had gone very carefully into the question of the timber restrictions.- It was found that the position was arising in New Zealand that companies and syndicates from Australia were acquiring large areas in New Zealand with a. view to getting timber and exporting it over there. I’l-.di-rally the whole of the New Zealand white pine was required in Australia, and it became a question whether Australia was going to control the New Zealand market altogether, or New Zealand was going to control it. The present restrictions might be drastic to a certain extent; but bo did not think ! anybody would suffer from the restriy- | tions, because lie thought the deputnI tion’s presence there, and Sir Francis I Bell’s visit to the West Coast would put | matters right. For the past five years | building bns been at a standstill : and j if the workers’ homes required and so 'on were to be built, they must see. to it that the timber they needed here was not taken by another country. Beech had been tested in different ways, and be thought that it might become an important timber for this country. So far as white pine particularly was concerned—also rimu, matai, and other timbers—if they were on land that would be required for settlement or for mining purposes, dredging, and so on, Sir Francis Bell, bad gone particularly into that, and no restrictions would bo put upon milling such land. There would be no restrictions also where there was a great probability that white pine would be burnt. It was known as a fact that syndicates wore negotiating and purchasing, that Australian firms were making huge purchases in this country, and it was not going to benefit the workers, or those who required homes here, but the timber was going to another country, and it mean that the cost of the materials required for our own people would be doubled or trebled. That was one of the facts that convinced the Government that the time had arrived when in the general interests of the people some restriction had to lie put on. But so far as killing the industry, or unduly hampering or depressing it was concerned, there was no such intention on the part of the Government. The Board of Trade had gone very carefully into the matter-; and, with the percentage of timber that would be allowed to be exported and with the largo increase required for local purposes, they did not anticipate that there was going to be any dislocation of tbe "West Coast industry at all.