OUR TIMBER TRADE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 79, 3 June 1879, Page 2

OUR TIMBER TRADE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE MAtiAWATC HERALD,

Sin, — I desire to offer some suggestions to the Sawinillers' Association, which 1 trust they will carefully consider. If their combination has boen formed beyond pnte\y local ends, I believe much good could arise from it.

In the first place, would it not be useful to depute one of their number to take a trip to the various ports, and accurately ascertuin what capabilities there are for disposing ot their stock ? at present there seems little reliable information. For my part, I have lately learnt; that in some ports tluio is a demand for a certain class of timber, which the loc:»l mills cannot supply ; and if so in one case, cannot there be in other cases ?

In the second place, I think they would find it a most useful, if not a necessary ad' junct, to own some sailing crafts of their own, as it appears to have been found out by other large millers before now, and as the times are bad, this seems to mo to be the very place where the advantage of com* bination would discover itself. There are at present, us far as I kuow, nine owners of mills belonging to the Association ; it would therefore be a very sinull cost to each of them to find the fuDtls to purchase a first class schooner.

.No doubt the one difficulty to such an arrangement might be raised, as to who should have the right to loatj her, but to overcome this, I think it would ba tho fairest proposal to make, that whoso obtained an order necessary to be forwarded by the As' soeiation's vessel, should equally distribute the cutting of it between the members, and bo all would be interested, not only in her success, but her quick despatch. • : One vessel, I am aware, would only slightly help any large export.but one would do much to lessen the present difficulty of reaching ports not touohed at by our regu* lar traders; and tbe number could easily be increased as tho trade developed.. I feel convinced, that united energy in this direction would do more thun anything else to give an impetus to our trade, and it has been been brought more prominently before me, by letters from consumers de' siring to know the prices, delivered at their ports, and stating distinctly it was our place to find freight. I bolieve some few of t'ae millers are well aware of the difficulty of obtaining vessels, eveu when they have ob* tamed outside orders.

I believe that the carrying trade is as much the duty of the millers to secure, as the sawing, and their prosperity is more tied up in it thun any other industry, owing to their produce being so bulky in proportion to its value ; and by their playing them* selves partinlly independent, it would pro* bably assist in their obtaining assistance. I am, &c,

Ernest S. Thtnne Foxton, June 2nd, 1879.