SHORTAGE OF TIMBER

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24106, 27 October 1941, Page 6

SHORTAGE OF TIMBER

NORTH ISLAND NEEDS WEST COAST ACCUMULATION (0.C.) WELLINGTON. Sunday Commenting on the accumulation of stocks of timber on the skids on the West Const because of the shortage of coastal shipping, Mr. A. Seed, secretary of the Dominion Federated Sawmillers' Association, said the matter had been discussed with the representatives of the shipping companies, and the association was satisfied that they were giving the best service which they could. The weather, which had contributed to the delay, was beyond their control, and the only possible way of offsetting this was a greater effort in turning round the ships quickly. There was, Mr. Seed said, a definite shortage at present in the North Island of particular sizes of timber required for making boxes for Army supplies for the East. Some perturbation was felt about the supply of timber in the North Island for cheese-crate battens, and the advisability of securing it from the West Coast had been considered, but, because of the shipping difficulties, endeavours were being made to secure sufficient quantities from North Island sources. "Wo are already drawing supplies of upward of 1,000,000 silver beech cheesecrate battens from Bluff," said Mr. Seed, "and very large supplies of pin us insignis are coming from Canterbury and Nelson. All these are being shipped to New Plymouth for Taranaki dairy factories."