TIMBER INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16021, 13 September 1915, Page 5

TIMBER INDUSTRY.

NORTHERN WAIROA OPERATIONS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Dargavxlle, SundayThe late drought in Australia has had a marked effect on sawmilling in Northern Wairoa, particularly with those companies which export the greater portion of their white pine outputs to Victoria. The Australian demand for butter-box material has appreciably diminished, and several of the mill-yards are blocked with high stacks of timber. At Te Kopuru, the Kauri Timber Company has temporarily discharged half of its employees, and other companies are restricting cutting operations. Bush work in the Kirikopuni district has for some time been closed down, and in the Kaihu Valley the bulk of felling work has been suspended. This to a large extent has been occasioned bv the large stocks of iogs in the boons, the recent floods having swept down some thousands to tidal waters, whilst in the Awakino and other streams some thousands are within near distance of their point of delivery. The export trade of kauri is particularly quiet, the only big shipment for several months being 900,000 ft carried by the barque Sator, now on her way to Liverpool Last week the steamers Odland, Joan Craig, and Waipon took away 2,000,000 ft of whits pine for the requirements of, the Commonwealth, and the steamers Holmdale, Waihora, Perth, and one of the Craig liners are now dua to load 4,000,000 ft for the Sydney and Melbourne markets. Trading coasters almost weeklv load cargoes for Lyttelton, and considerable quantities of building material are continuously being consigned to Auckland, whilst local demands are on an ever-growing scale. At present the output of the seven mills is close on 1,000,000 ft per week.