THE TIMBER COMMISSION.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8843, 7 April 1909, Page 5

THE TIMBER COMMISSION.

(PbePeebb Association.) OHRISTCHURCH, April 7. The' Timber Commission resumed; today.' '• . "-■' ; ■,'■""'■-: '■■■■■:,■'■ ■'.-■■■ ; : ■■;■'' _vWilliam Goss gave evidence. He isaid he had made a" return of prices at .various ■> times; back to 1874. :{.l.n that year the price of red pine was 17s :and 18s, when timber was .being obtained oh Banks' Peninsula. During the past three years his business had decreased. He .had a sawmill; of his own, arid was interested in others; on the West Coast. The slump in sawmilling had been. graduaL Locally Oregon had replaced red foot for foot, for. every foot He was not. making the profit he > should make on the amount of capital invested, and the business was not successful. Replying to, questions he said anyone could j>urchase timber from him. On account of the risk of fire it was better to use timber as it was needed. He favoured the Government conserving timber lands if it could be done without danger of fire. Fifty per cent was the maximum amount of good timber that was obtained from red piiie.logs. Oregon was not required in Christchurch. Men at the present time did not work as men of the past, and there was not the same output of work.