A CRISIS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 12 March 1930, Page 9

A CRISIS

IN N.Z. TIMBER INDUSTRY

MILLS SHUTTING DOWN SA W MII A ;EUS’ HAN 1)1CA PS (Uy Telegraph—Special to “The Mail") AUCKLAND, lltli March. “A crisis has arisen in the timber industry and if tilings do not improve many mills will have to close down. The depression of the New Zealand timber industry has never been so had as it is to-day/’ These remarks were made by Mr G. A. Gamman, the well-known King Country and Mamuku sawmillor subsequent to a meeting of 12 sawmillers who had met in Hamilton to discuss the situation. Mr Gamman said there was no disguising the fact that things were serious and men connected with the industry were worried. “During the past four years foreign timber has been in increasing demand, and the demand for the New Zealand product has decreased,” said Mr Gamman. “Now that the foreign importations are about 50 per cent, of the whole supply the New Zealand millers are finding it impossible to carry on. Within the past few weeks mills have been shut down, and some of them have discharged men in order to work half time. A large nuniuer of workers were put off at the end of last month, and many mills have shortened down to four days’ work a week. This state of affairs exists in both the North and South Islands. The position has reached a point where the sales of New Zealand limber arc so small that it is quite possible to see that in a few months more the mills will bo closed down. “The total number of workers in the industry getting a living through the mills amount to many thousand,” continued Mr Gamman. “The loss of freights to the Railway Department and of revenue to the Dominion is also a matter of serious importance. I say without hesitation that the importations of timber to this country are a menace. Take one example alone: the cargo of timber on the Golden West which was in port recently means a loss equivalent to £28,000 to the timber industry in New Zealand and about £7500 in freight to the Railway Department. It also represents a loss of employment to New Zealand timber workers as well as others. If we had no useful timbers in New Zealand one could understand why such cargoes were brought here. We have as good and even better timber than that imported. I have noticed there wis a fair amount of sap amongst the in ported timber, but as long as it is Oregon, pine, cedar or redwood sap does not seem to matter. If foreign limbers are specified by architects to '.e used they go into the job, and it 's q.;ite possible for the buyers and architects to keep New Zealand timber out of almost any job. One of the very best timbers, black heart of rimu, has practically no sale today, and there are a number of other causes that handicap the sale of New Zealand timber. Some c.f them are railway freights, the system of railway measurement, high royalties, and improper methods adopted in the use of our timber. For instance, railway freights are charged just as high on dry timber as on green. In many cases freight has to be paid on measurement. 3 which do not exist. This state of affairs, if will readily be seen, affects the railage price on many millions of feet of timber. The railage over 150 miles is equal to 43s 9d per ton, and in some instances runs out at 60s a ton. This often applies to timber that is short as well as offcuts that have little value to the miller.”

Touching on the matter of the Timber Trading Company organisation now operating at Hamilton, Mr Gamman said it had been instituted for economic purposes. The whole of the collections, bookkeeping, and general business of the millers was now done in one office. “I can safely say that this organisation has saved the mills from being shut up months ago,” said Mr Gamman. “Unfortunately the trade has been going from bad to worse, and it has now got beyond even these economical methods. With assistance from the State Forestry Department, the Railway Department, and proper investigation t f the foreign and New Zealand timbers, something may be done to help the industry to flourish and to build it up on a permanent and sound footing. “There is one thing that can be said in favour of the timber workers--they have never been associated in strikes, and the labour country sawmills employ is to a great extent that of pioneers on the land,” said Mr Gamman in conclusion.