THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19202, 19 June 1924, Page 8

THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

VANISHING TORESTS. NEED FOE CONSERVATION. (Peb United Phess Association.) WELLINGTON, June 18. A conference L being held with reference to the specifications regulations, and by-laws covering the use of timber in buddings. The conference is the outcome of o, report presented to the Government by the Director of Forestry in 1920 regarding the treatment of the forestry situation m the dominion. This I‘eport provided tor a study of the sawmilling and wood using industries, with the object of scouring a more economical utilisation of our forests. Ah- W. M. Page, president of the New Zealand Institute ot Architects, presided, and about 40 deleiiatos vvery in atient.ancc. Sir Francis 'Bell (Commissioner ol State Forests) opened the uonloroiico. The President ho had no doubt teat the conference would do good. Ihoy had jewelled a time of want or at least a time Tvhen there was a atrong lor conservation. They could not out feel alarmed at the fact that three-quarters of the virgin forest of the dominion had gone, and more was being used now than was being grown. The ob-joef of Ihe conference was to decide on a policy of confservaticn and to eliminate or endeavour to eliminate all waste. The conference was divided into three committees. (From Our Own Cokrf.svondlnt.) WELLINGTON. June TB. At a conference dealing with toe use of timber in buildings, \\hich opened here to-day, Sir Francis Bell, who takes a ween interest in forestry, wit. 1 -: one of the speakers. T hope,” he said, “the time is not far distant —and here I want you to understand that I am speaking absolutely for myself and not for the Government that I represent—when the prohibition of the expoit df limber will be by Statute and not by Order-in-Council, so that it will requite an Act of Rarliament and not one of the Government of the day (o allow an alteration ot the position obtaining in tne inclustry.” Siz' Francis Bell went on to say that bo was sure the delegates had a more intimate knowledge of Die subjects they had Inot to discuss than be or the department had. Ho expressed regret at the indisposition of yir Heaton Rhodes, which prevented him from occupying the position occupied by the speaker. The matters to bo discussed were of great interest to the delegates, as they were to the Government, i'here had in the past two years been a great development in the timber industry, consequent largely upon the abnormal demand for housing and the still more abnormal expenditure of the country’s money — Commonly called the Government’s money. Members of the conference must be considering and looking forward to wliat was going to happen when (hi- abnormal demand ceased. U die effect of such a cessation were to bo a demand for assistance or a request that the mills be allowed to make a profit by exporting abroad, then he trusted that whatever Government was in power it and the people would be united against, the granting of such a demand. Ho reminded the conference lhat the institution of the forcsPv service and the prohibition of exports were Acte of Ihc National Government, noi ot any one party, and he hoped it would be one of the lasting benefits conferred upon the dominion, 'rto timber must be conserved fo.- the dominion. That did not moan that timber fit to be cut should not be cut. but the timber in Now Zealand was their heritage, and not the heritage of the world. The danger of the position was apparent to those who studied it. Ho wanted them to understand what was still to come, and the matters should he discussed from the point of view of the utilisation in New Zealand of the products of nature and the preservation for New Zealand of the benefits of the forests.