TIMBER COMMISSION.

North Otago Times, 22 May 1909, Page 2

TIMBER COMMISSION.

I'er Press Association. Wellington, May 21. • At the sitting of the Timber Commission 10-day, Andrew Quinlan, sawmi'ller, of .Niieaim;, ' said ha, hud bo;n in Iho business since 1573, and did uoi know', of a (moie.widespren depression in the timber business than at present. If H continued the mills would have to dose down. He did not believe in export duties on timber. Much of the depression was due to the bursting of the land boom. He "could not say that the public had benefitted by the importation of Oregon< There was something mysterious going on in reference to Oregon. 31 r Arnold: Do you think there is some understanding between merchants, architects and engineers 'with reference to the specification oi Oregon. Witness: I tlmve a very strong suspicion that way. There is a mystery at work somewhere, and something sterol, i

John Anderson, sawinfrllcr, 'oiMlasterton, said Oregon had detrimentally affected tho timber industry. He advocated a duty of 5s on Orogon. His mill was now closed, seventeen men being out of employment for six months. Tho smaller mills must go to the wall. W. 11. Bennett, building contractor, Wellington, representing the) exocutivq of the New Zealand Federated Builders' Association, said owing! ito ithe delay and tho difficulty in obtaining thq native artfrfo (for/ roofing land joisting, it was absolutely necessary that Oregon should, lie admitted froo of duty. Oregon had an advantage ovrr local 'timbers, as it did! noil) tako the borer. Kauri had become almost unobtainable in Wellington. A few lengths the other day cost him I 37s fid per 100 feet as against 31s 6d in Sydney. Outsiders were getting our .timber cheaper than those in the Domirion. An increased export duty should bo placed on Kauri. The real cause of the millers' trouble was the slackness of trade and the. tightness in the money market. Tho importation of Oregon had not affected tho building ■ trade very much. Oregon was not suitable: for outside building. Verbal threats had been mado by Merchants thnt if. tho'builders purchased direst from the millers they would be only allowed 2A- per cent, instead of % per cant. Two persons had had their names removed from the discount list on this account. The cost of building at present was too high for a working man. Witness did not favor the establishment of a State sawmill. All things being C(|«al he; favored New Zealand timber. Oregon has been stocked here to fill a long-felt want, Tho timber supplies, so far as prices wcro concerned, were not on a satisfactory basis. Tho Government should take more vigorous steps in ithe direction of afforestation, W. L, Thompson, representing the Wellington Builders and Contractors' Association, said tho slackness in the milling trade was not duo to tho importation of Oregon, but to high' ln.nd values and high interest charges, which had stopped speculalinn. His Association wanted the duty on' Oregon abolished.