Page 7 Advertisements Column 6

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 8446, 23 July 1888, Page 7

Kauri Timber Company. Notwithstanding that the Australian timber ?—New Zealand timber Is more suitable for the sides and ends of doors. - Bat for the frames?—For the frames, blackwood is used from Tasmania. I think you do not quite follow me. What I desire to pat is this, tb&t you state that in New Zealand they use Australian timber for the frames ?—Yes, And in Victoria they ase what timber ? In Victoria they use both blackwood and teak. But no Australian hardwood ?—No, not Australian hardwood as distinguished from blackwood. So that a country away from Australia is using Australian timber, while Australia itself is ignoring it.—Yes. Is it cheaper?—Yes; and Hike it better. What kinds do you recommend ?—lronbark gives the best results, but if they are well seasoned all the timbers are good. I suppose you have had some tests applied to enable you to say? —i'es, many tests. Have you any figures to show the results of those tests ? —Yes. I have got them with me, but I will put in a table. What quantity of Australian timber do you suppose could be used by the department per annum ?—Do you mean used by the department itself, and also used for the department in the shape of contracts ? Quite so.—Tho quantity is enormous, but I cannot tell you without reference to the storekeeper. And you know no valid reason why it should not bo used? —No ; and, in fact, we have already built an experimental car to show that it oan be done here. The Commissioners' carriage is built entirely of ironbark and kauri. And that is a success ? -Yes. And if it were adopted by the Railway Department for sides and floors, a large trade would be developed ? —Yes, no doubt it would. Do those figures apply to Victoria or New Zealand ? Is that the price landed here or the price in New Zealand ? —lt is hard to say exactly. The mere cost of bringing it over in schooners from the Kaikoura or Auckland is not very great. It is only about five days by schooner. Does anything of interest strike yon abont the question of timber ?—A point that has often suggested itself to me here is that I see such enormous quantities of Baltic timber imported into the. Colony of Victoria when there is really a very much better timber in the shape of pine wood to be got in New Zealand. A number of the pines which have been grown here have been planted—have you tried them ?—No, I have not tried them ; bat they would not be large enough yet for timber. You see, the great value of the kauri pine is that it grows about 180 ft long and perfectly straight; and the trees grow as much as Bft in thickness in the trunk, and there is not a single knot to be found in the timber at all. In which part of New. Zealand are they to be found ?—ln the North Island. If not useful to us, it would be to posterity ?—Yea; and it is the most useful timber I have ever come across anywhere. It is nsefnl,for housebuilding, for shipbuilding, foi rolling-stock of every description ; in fact, for every purpose yon oan put timber kauri, is useful. Is it subject to white ants ?—I do not think so. We have no. white ants in New Zealand, so I do not know whether it is subject to them or not; but I think not. , It is full of resin, . Would you recomtneud the planting of kauri; then, in preference to any other pine?—Yes. I do not know a more useful tree in the world. I might say that the question of New Zealand timber has been written about by Dr Hector over there; and if it would be any use to you, I might get one of his reports.

IN A REPORT BY MESSRS RANSOME AND CO., ON THE PR ACTIO A L TESTS OF COLONIAL TIMBERS IN CONNECTION WITH „ THE* COLONIAL AND INDIAN EXHIBITION AT STANLEY WORKS, KING’S ROAD, CHELSEA, OCTOBER Bth, 1886, THE FOLLOWING REMARKS APPEAR:— Kauri (Dammara Australis).—This is undoubtedly the best of all soft woods. During the trials, a door was constructed, casks made, straight and circular mouldings struck, match-boarding prepared, and engineers’ patterns built. For all the above purposes the practical men who witnessed the trials agreed that the wood was perfect. It planes across the end of the grain quite as well and smoothly as with it; it stains well, takes a good polish, and would be valuable for bedroom furniture. This timber has been imported regularly into this country, though in rather email quantities, foi several years past; the last cargo was sold for from 3s to 3s 6d per cubic foot. The tree, which is found in the province of Auckland only, attains a height of 120 ft, with a maximum diameter of 15ft. The plank sent to be experimented on was sft Gin wide, absolutely clear of knots and shakes, and apparently as true as when first sawn from the log. IN A REPORT ON THE DURABILITY OF NEW ZEALAND TIMBERS IN CONSTRUCTIVE WORKS, PREPARED FOR THE NEW ZEALAND GOVERNMENT, BY MR T. KIRK, - F.L.S., IT IS STATED WITH RECARD TO KAURI : The kauri is the finest tree in New Zealand, and produces the most valuable timber. It is restricted to the northern part of the North Island, and does not occur in any j quantity south of a line drawn from Port