TIMBER EXCHANGE.

Northern Advocate, 27 January 1922, Page 5

TIMBER EXCHANGE.

AUSTRALIAN REQUIREMENTS.

RECIPROCAL TARIFF URGED,

WELLINGTON, This Day. Various points in connection with the timber trade between New Zealand and Australia were discussed in the course of an interview with M< L. S. Cumming, managing director of the firm of B. B. Trappe and Co., timber merchants, of Sydney and Melbourne.

It was unfortunate, said Mr Cumming, that Australia should have raised the duty on New Zealand timbers, for it had undoubtedly had the effect of reducing imports, and had given an opportunity for other timbers, such as Baltic deals and Alaska spruce, to be placed on the market at a lower rate of duty. The duty on New Zealand timber was now 7s 6d per 100 ft for furniture timbers, timber for box-mak-ing being admitted at Is per 100 ft on assurance being given that it was for box-making purposes only. "Timber merchants feel there should be a reciprocal arrangement between the two countris with regard to timber." continued Mr Cumming, "for we require your white pine, while you are in need of our hardwoods. The New Zealand duty on imports from Australia is only 2s per 100 ft. There is every prospect of a considerable expansion of trade in timber between the two countries, and I am very pleased to kifow that' steps are being taken to adjust the* tariff more equably. A reciprocal arrangement is most important in connection with timber. We have ample supplies of local timber for bettergrade furniture, but your white pine is what we need in large quantities for the cheaper kind, as well as for boxmaking. "Conditions point to a considerable increase in the demand for New Zealand timber in Australia. Just at present, and indeed for the past two or three years, importations have been steadily diminishing. The imports for the first six months last year were only half those of 1920, and the figures for 1920 only half those of 1919. The reason for this is that during the war, when the country was in a flourishing financial condition, and when imports fell away, a large number of mills started work, and very large supplies of timber were thus built up. Lately, however, many of the mills have had to close, owing to the increase in timber workers' wages, reduction in hours, and equally important, the reduction in efficiency brought about by abuse of the sick pay clause in the new award. These conditions, joined with the general 'slump' have resulted in about 50 per cent, of the mills having to close. When local supplies of timber have been used up, there is no doubt j that importations will increase."

Mr Cumming expressed himself as greatly impressed with what New Zealand had accomplished with Tegard to afforestation, the plantations at Rotorua being far ahead of anything yet attempted in Australia. During the war the payment of timber royalties greatly increased, though the number of new mills opened and the advance in prices, and tho Forestry Department was enabled to build up a considerable sum from royalties for the purpose of planting out large areas. The payments had now however, and the State gTant was not large, so that nothing very much had been attempted as yet. The Federal Government had taken up the matter and was pushing it vigorously, while the Forestry League was also doing excellent work.