TIMBER TRADE

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 86, 8 March 1930, Page 7

TIMBER TRADE

INCREASE IN EXPORTS. MINISTER’S STATEMENT. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, March 7. A slight improvement in the Dominion’s foreign timber trade as compared with the previous year is shown in the preliminary Customs returns now available for 1929. According to information supplied by tire Commissioner of State Forests, Hon. W. B. Taverner,, the total imports and exports for the two periods were as follow : Imports, 1928, 60,516,000 ft. B.M. (£738,850): 1929, 63,001,000 ft B.M. (£769,410). Exports, 1928, 35,029,000 ft B.M. £377,480); 1929, 39,103,000 ft B.M. (£439,340). “Although the imports increased in quantity by 2,500,000 ft. B.M. and in value by £30,000, the exports increased by over 4,000,000 ft B.M. and in value by over £60,000,” the Minister said, “so that the timber trade balance of 25,487,000 ft B.M. (£361,370) existing against Now Zealand during 1928, decreased to 23,898,000 ft B.M. (£330,070) during 1929. “It is hoped,” continued the Minister, “that this position will ' still further improve during 1930. Recent changes in the Australian tariff are definitely in favour of Now Zealand timbers as compared with Scandinavian and North American woods, and it is naiticipated that an increased trade in the export of soft woods to the Commonwealth will eventuate. This view is supported by the tone of inquiries from the Commonwealth and orders placed during recent months. “Approximately 40 per cent of the total imports are of hardwoods, whereas of the exports only eight per cent are hardwoods, the remainder in both cases being softwoods. “Amongst recent developments is the visit of a timber delegation from British Columbia,” said. Mr Taverner. “In so far as its objective is to replace American-supplied timber by Canadian woods, the delegation has the support of the Government, this being in line with the declared policy of fostering inter-Empire trade, especially that with Canada, which is a valued and increasing customer for the Dominion’s exports of dairy produce, wool, etc. We are fully in sympatliy with the Canadian desire to capture as much as possible of the timber imports now originating in the U.S.A., but the Government is primarily interested in reducing imports to the minimum, and will continue to encourage and assist New Zealand timber producers to .improve the quality of their products, and to secure a large proportion of the total demand.

“Commenting in detail upon the softwood importations, it would appear that the increase in redwood trom only a few million feet B.M. in 1925, to almost 12,000,000 feet B'.M. in 1929, follows the decrease in production of totara from 21,000,000 ft B.M. in 1922 to ll,000,u!)0 feet B.M. in 1928. Totara, however, is much superior to both redwood and western red cedar ; which tend to replace it for exterior joinery, weatherboards, etc. “As to the increased importations of spruce butter boxes, this is a very regrettable development from every viewpoint,” the Minister continued. “The considered opinion of independent authorities upon the European butter markets is that the shipping of New Zealand butter in spruce containers is detrimental to its reputation, and in support of this view it will *be recollected that the Dairy Produce Board has condemned the spruce container, and recommended producers to use only the Now Zealand white pine and silver beech packages. With reference to the total importations of softwoods for boxing and crating purposes, amounting during 1929 to over 8,500,000 feet 8.M., it may be said that the whole of this material can be satisfactorily produced in this Dominion, and that every effort should be made to secure this very desirable objective. Further success by the millers of New Zealand will tend to eliminate the existing anomaly of exporting New Zealand butter to Canada and the United Kingdom in boxes made of Scandinavian timber.

“With the exception of rimu, all the Dominion woods showed an increase in exports for 1929 as compared with 1928. Australia continues as our most important customer, and purchased over 30,000,000 feet B.M. of white pine during the year, representing an increase of 5,000,000 feet B.M. oyer the exports for the previous period. It is certainly significant that Australia, which is endeavouring to raise the quality of its butter for the European markets, continues to prefer New Zealand white pine boxes to the Scandinavian and North American spruce boxes. Small increases were recorded in the case of both kauri and silver beech, which are highly valued in the Commonwealth for many special uses. “As already mentioned,” concluded the Minister, “the recent changes In the Australian tariff are in favour of New Zealand woods as compared with Scandinavian and North American timbers, and it is confidently anticipated that the export trade in rimu and matai will now be considerably augmented.” ,