FORESTRY COMMISSION.

Mataura Ensign, 25 April 1913, Page 4

FORESTRY COMMISSION.

•" fl' nS(I AT AUCKLAND. PESi UNITED PREBfI ASSOCIATION ~ f ~ A ,V April 24. ,|.,v lt'f° u- i '' >rcstr ' v pom mission to- . I r , l ' l l lai " Arthur Gumming piosidcntot tho Auckland branch o tile Institute oi Architects was call '* to give evidence regarding tlio pro!) able mcroaso in tlio price of buildinj residences, as tin- prioo of timber in 'leased with bio lessening supply. Hi rri'i i a 'V' i 0 7'"' ° f a °° n IJ. d\voihno;-]!oii.so was from 18 t; 4) per cent, greater than that of .■ wooden house. In the event of tlu pneo of timber advancing, this differ enco would lessen provided there w,v not a sympathetic rise in the prico oi tlio permanent materials. Tlio pric< of bricks had gone u» considerably dunng the past few years. Mr Gum mings undertook to call a mooting oi members of his profession to conaidei tne matters concerning them in th( coin mission's order of reference anc to supply 'the commission in due cour« with detailed information eoncerninc the relation of tlio futuro timber suppK to the building industry. Mr Cummins suggested to tlio commission the advisibility, whore afforestation was undertaken, of choosing areas oonvenieni to tlio market, and of considering the lmpoitmico of climate and temperature in regard to tho different trees Scotch lir, which throve admirably ir Sweden, was a failuro in England. Wo had iiad personal experience oi timber. From a 00-yoar-okl oak the wood was sappy, and in four years wa? ndidled with worms. Ho agreed wit) Cockayno that it would certainlj provide) much valuable information il iili examination could be made of oui older limitations and the timber oi tlio trees comnaiwl with tho wood oi similar trees on their native soil. Mr \Y. H. Ley land referred to t.hr evidence submitted to tlio Dominion? Royal Commission tliat the cousuni]> tion of timber per capita had increased 94 ]x>r cent, in America, a country wliei'o substitutes for timber were more largely used probably than anywhere elso in tho world. Mr Ley land could not seo that tlio greater use of permanent building materials "would ore?so tlio donuuid for timber. More •tiini.Tf. though of n. lower grade, used i»i tho construction of ferro-i oner eto euihiings than bad been formerly used :n wooden buildings. In hi? opinion there would lx» no dccrcn.se whatever jn tho demand for hiigh-grad. tim'w?r, while tho demand for lowergrade timber would continue to lecrease. Mr Leylan-d remarked - Lha: ho could seo no objection, whatever the slanting of timber in. tlio inland By the /time the timber had grown there would certainly be tho population to use it, amd it' wa:urgent that timely stops should br taken to cope with the imminent scarcity of timber throughout tho counter.