THREATENED INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13814, 29 July 1908, Page 8

THREATENED INDUSTRY.

OREGON PINE IMPORTATIONS.

IMMEDIATE ACTION URGED.

Among the sawmillers who interviewed the Prima Minister recently npoh the question of the importation of Oregon pine was Mr. G. A. Pearce, manager of the Mountain Kimn Timber Company. Mainaku.- In conversation with a HkitAii) representative yesterday Mr. Pearce expressed dissatisfaction at Sir Joseph Ward's reply, inasmuch as he did not hold out any immediate prospect of relief by placing a sufficient duty on American timber to afford those, associated with the sawmilling industry in New Zealand a chance of competing.

"It is estimated," Mr. Pearce went on to say, "that there is about 8.000,000 ft of the American timber now on the way to New Zealand, and when this is landed it will to a very largo extent paralyse the local industry. It means that so much less of New Zealand timber will bo used in the Dominion, and when reckoned up represents a direct loss of £42,000, which would otherwise bo spent in wages and freight. It is a serious business, and I don't think the people of New Zealand recognise the importance of it. If a sufficient duty is not imposed on foreign timber it means that not only will these shipments from America become systematic, but also that large importations of timber will be made from. Manchuria and Corca, where Asiatic labour is used.

" With the present cost of labour and high freights we cannot possibly hope to compete with the foreign article unless. a duty of -t least 2s per 100 ft is imposed. If this is not done then many of the New Zealand mills will have to close down, and thousands of men will lie thrown out of work. If the Government is going to act at all it, must do so immediately, as otherwise much harm will be done. I at any rate am going back to seriously consider the advisability of reducing the number of my hands to meet the combined effects of the tight money market and the dumping down of Oregon pine."

STATEMENT BY THE PRIME

MINISTER.

ROYAL COMMISSION POSSIBLE.

[BY telegraph.—press ASSOCIATION.]' Wellington, Tuesday. A deputation representing the New Zealand Federated Builders and Contractors' Association waited on the Prime Minister to-day. Mr. Bennett (president,) said that a few months ago builders urged on the Hon. J. A. Millar the advisablcuess of removing the duty on Oregon pine. It would not displace New Zealand timber, but it was essential for some classes of work. The builders wanted the importation of Oregou pine maintained on the existing basis. Mr. Russell, another member of the deputation, said it was almost impossible to get kauri timber.

The Prime Minister said that in the course of a few days the timber merchants would interview him, and it was only right that he should hear all three parties—the millers, the merchants, and builders and contractors. The Government would like to arrive at the cause of the tremendous increase in the price of building in New Zealand. There could be little doubt that increased wages did not account for the increased cost of building. The Government desired to ascertain whether somebody was making extortionate profits out of raw material, and so materially affecting work throughout the Dominion. The. matter must be gone into thoroughly. If the Government put a high import duty against Oregon pine it would necessarily raise the question of putting an export duty on timbers from Now Zealand. The case might call for the appointment of a Royal Commission. ''