PAPER PRODUCTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22402, 24 April 1936, Page 17

PAPER PRODUCTION

DOMINION PROSPECTS DISCUSSION IN HOUSE NOTE OF CAUTION SOUNDED [BY TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Thursday Prospects for the production of paper from New Zealand wood pulp were discussed in the House of Representatives to-day, when thei second reading of a private bill, th<i Whakatane Paper Mills, Limited, Water Supply Empowering Bill, v?as moved by Mr. C. H. Burnett (Government-—Tauranga). An assurance that the rights of the Crown and of private property-owners would be safeguarded was given by Mr. Burnett, wh:i said it was important that the industry should succeed as it would open up rew avenues of employment in New Zealand. "The time has come when we should start thinking or the utilisation of our exotic forests rather than a continuation of planting," said Sir Alfred Ransom (Opposition—Pahiatua). "When I was commissioner of State forests I devoted some attention to this aspect of the question and arrangements were made for an officer of the department to visit Canada. Norway and Sweden and report on tlie possible use of New Zealand exotic forests for the production of wood pulp for paper. "The report <>f this officer was that the prospects of success were very romote. It was slated that world competition was so serious and that the forests in other countries were so vast that New Zealand could hardly hope to compete. I do not speak with any antagonism to the Whakatane Company, but 1 think the Government should not ent<?r into any obligation which may end in it having a 'dud' proposition left on its hands." Mr. C. L. Carr (Government — Timaru) said a .similar project had been mooted some years ago by a different company. One only had to travel through forestry plantations to wonder what was going to bq. done finally with the Dominion's vast stocks of soft timbers. It had to be remembered that a modern paper mill was very highly mechanised and did not provide great scope for employment. There had been an authoritative statement to the effect that one paper mill could fill the whole of the requirements of Australia and New Zealand for the manufacture of newsprint, and, as it was understood that capital bad been raised for the starting of a mill in Tasmania, the Government should be fully convinced that the Whakatane project would prove economic. The bill was lead a second time and referred to the Committee of Selection.