THE TIMBER COMMISSION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14499, 16 April 1909, Page 5

THE TIMBER COMMISSION

(F*ou Our Own Cukrf.spondiht.) GRKYMOUTK, April 15. JMIO Timber Commission began its Grey-* nionlli w'ting to-day, the examination-of two vvilnc-SKs occupying all day. Mr Flanagan, Commissioner of Grown Lands, gave a lot of .statistics, after which lw relerm! 10 the vcrv unsatisfactory confluences lollomnpr on <lual control by wardens ami Unci Boards of timber areas. One authority should lie snb.stit.uted. i'lm tonus under which timber splitting licensee were granted needed revision, as at present timber-cutters for sleepers simply picked the oyes out of th-e country, imieh to tho disadvantflgv of (lie bona fide sawmiller.

Mr Bowater, a Wostport miller, stated tlia-t it had- been said Unit- tho millers had rais«l the price of timber in an excessive d-egiw during Iho past five yeaVs, but'such was not the case. It. had l only been raked 6d a hundred feet, and that, had hardly unwed tins expenses of increased charges, wages, and the distance of getting tho tinvbur. As to the importation of Orogou pine timber, lie it ought not. to lis .encouraged, as it «a« sending their money out' o£ vlie Dominion instead of keeping it in. .Suventy-livo per cent, of the cost ol tho timber went in labour. As sawni.ililers, they knew that 1000 acres w not sutiicieJit lor the pur[ioso of erect/iug a good iip-todat« jmiling plant. As tile railways extaiidwl, the iniilevs could puti their timber ueaivr tho market, wheiieas uiiu! years ago it cost them 5.? 6d to put the timber on the wharf at Westport. Owing, however, to the increase all roundi in charges the cost, was so increased: that I hey were nut making anytJiing out of it. I hey <lid nut bclievo in having (o go lo the ComniissioiKH' every year for a renewal of their timber reservation. It an absurd and unnecessary expeu.se. Uiev would like the siwmills area to be grantc<l for five years, ami the reservations should he increased in area andl granted lor 20 years, It had been s;i i ( j that they could not cut long lengths of timber such as was required in the big buildings in the cities, Thev could sunply ! "], bl| t were so many difliculties 111 the way that they did not. undertake them. I 110 cost of the production of tim-* her m liis district ranged from 7s /|d tfl cd, the higher aniuuut being the co6t< of tho production at mills which did not export hut only supplied local requirements. Last year 110 men wero engage*! 111 his district, and this year there were only 81 employed. The'wages had increased about 20 pea' cent. It now costi Is per 100 ft lo bring the timber to tho mills, winch, -xas fully 20 per cent, abova what it was five years ago.