The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1926. OUR PRINCIPAL INDUSTRY.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 February 1926, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1926. OUR PRINCIPAL INDUSTRY.

Tin-; outstanding importance of the timber industry to New Zealand has been brought home very directly by the graphs prepared by the Sawmill ts' Association from tho Government statistics relating to the principal industries of the Dominion. The graphs disclose to the eye at once where tli<s industry stands pre-eminently in relation to the chief industries of the country. One test of the value of the industries is their importance to the number of employees engaged in the industries. Here is a comparative table, but the graph shows the position by diminishing lines as the industries recede in the numbers employed : -- Timber 9135 employers Freezing 7301 Printing 5879 Coalmining . ... 1800 Dairy Products .. -1321 Tlie Federation as terse comment on the ligures, issues the adjunct to u.so only New Zealand timbers ami keep New Zealanders employed I As regards wages paid, there is the same relative importance shown, namely:

Timber £2,058,774 Freezing 1 ..‘M0.281 Printing 1.2(51.020 Dairy Products ... 808.00(5 AVith i-c*j£sifcl to these figures the Fo licratiou lias the invocation: ‘'Don' subsidise foiVign workers by using imported timbers!” On this aspect there i a further graph showing; over a perioi of three years the wages distributee as against money sent out of the conn try for timber -imports. The competitive opposition is a growing: one. indicating that the principal, industry ol the Dominion is being menaced .seriously by the imports. The relative figu-

res are : 1022 - Wages paid in New Zealand timber industry, £1 .970.571 ; money sent out of the Dominion for timber, 9507.020; freight. £1:18,129: total £(i-10.0-|.j. 102:1—Wages paid in New Zealand timber industry. £1.803,6-10; money sent out- of tbe Dominion for timlier. £632.856; freight, £105.5-15; total. £BOI,-101. 102i—'Wages paid in New Zealand timber industry, £2,058,77.1; money sent out of tbe Dominion for timber, £1,044,075: freight. £271.088; total £1,315.763. As bearing on the foregoing another graph discloses in comparative form the quantity of timber imported into Xew Zealand, namely-1922. 32.757.755 ft. value £507.(523 ; 1923, 41,682.937 ft., value £032.850; 1924 , 67,988.926 ft., vain.?. £1,044.075; 1925 (10 months) 68.304,448 ft., value. £995,532. The quantity of timber other than Australian hardwood imported inV> Xew Zealand expressed very clearly how very present the menace is to the local industry. The figures are; 1923, 12.684,880 ft., value £199.433; 1924, 22.918.155 ft.. value £324,693; 1925 (10 months) 35,169.504 ft, value £459.702. W hen in relation to ttie figures quoted is considered the attitude of the Government in curtailing the Australian market for the various timbers, the menace to tbe industry can be realised as most serious. Just now following the big fire.s in Australia there would no doubt be a greatly improved market for Xew Zealand timber in Australia, but tbe export From here is under serious restriction, and it will not be possible to enjoy tbe trade offering as freely as it might were there less control. The removal of Government- interference in colonial business is mostdesirable. and especially so in relation to tbe timber industry, if it is to l>e saved from the decline which seems to threaten it at the moment. *