SAWMILLING IN SOUTHLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16496, 23 March 1917, Page 6

SAWMILLING IN SOUTHLAND.

JREAT ACTIVITY . EXPERIENCED.

The • sawmillers of Southland are experiencing • a busy ; time, and it is many years since the industry/was so active :as at prosent, according to an Invercargill paper. The ; position -is -..: duo [■ to the domand ■■ for timber ; from Australia, which;is so great that^tho: mills f are /.hardly j ablo :to »cope with it. j) Recently orders -for the supply of 3,000,000 ft were received; i the timber required J being red' and white pine and beech, and a : representative of one of ; tie iiirns engaged in the business states that there ;is every prospect- of Australia continuing to largely rely on the bush of | Now Zealand for its requirements/ Asked | why / attention ? had been directed •* to \ the | Dominion for Commonwealth ' supplies ho' ; explained ; that the South American trade" had been > affected sby ; the shortage of freight and increased cost of carriage, but he. did not think when normal times returned New Zealand millers would suffer as- tho timber was;suitable for all pur' poses, and'.-.when. once it got a : footing the' market' would remain. A difficulty s : the • millers : have \to contend with ;■ ig \ the, scar- • city loft labour i carased I. by bo many young men r having left ?' for the \ front, and lit is 1 stated that employment could easily be found for some hands over and above the: number/at; present engaged ;in i the ■ in-, dustry in -Southland. By/ a vessel expected •to i leave Bluff shortly for Austral fia7*Boo,oooft of timber will bo shipped.