TIMBER TRADE DEPRESSION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20596, 21 June 1930, Page 14

TIMBER TRADE DEPRESSION

A SUGGESTED REMEDY.;

PROPOSAL OF SAWMILLER,

[BT TELEGRAM.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] TAUMARUNUI, Friday.

Commenting on the depression in timber industry, a leading sawmiller expressed the opinion that drastio action is necessary to relieve the serious position, with its prospect of much unemployment among mill workers. lie points out that to-day in the King Country and on tho Rotorua lino alono over 25,000,000 ft. of timber is stacked for want of a market.

In his opinion, tho importation of foreign timber is the cause of tho trouble Millions of feet are coming into New Zealand every year. "There is a simplo remedy," ho says, "and if tho Government is courageous it will apply that remedy at onco. Shortly put, tho only euro for the presont depression is that the Government should stipulate that New Zealand timber only bo used for building and joinery work in homes built by money advanced by. tho State.

"If action - on these lines wore taken, tho importation of 50,000,000 ft. of foreign timber would cease, and the depression in the timber industry end automatically." Why, he asks, should tho Government advanco money to keep tho timber workers of the United States and Canada in employment, while New Zealand mill workers aro kept out of work and sawinillors ruined '! Ho points out further that tho railways are losing thousands of pounds in freight revenue, through timber being stacked at mills.