TIMBER SHORTAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26095, 7 March 1946, Page 4

TIMBER SHORTAGE

COMMISSIONER’S EXPLANATION OAMARU STATEMENT MISLEADING In a reply to the Associated Chambers of Commerce with reference to the export of New Zealand timber to Australia, tlie Commissioner of State Forests (Mr C. F. Skinner) says that the letter from the Oamaru Chamber of Commerce is very misleading and does not correctly represent the situation. The reply, which was read at the monthly meeting of the Oamaru Chamber of Commerce, stated that, in spite of a sustained output of timber, there was a serious shortage, but the answer did not lie in reducing exports, since exports were already virtually insignificant. Mr Skinner explained that in older to obtain much-needed supplies of Australian hardwoods, New Zealand was obliged to supply in return a certain minimum quantity of building softwoods. Since September 1, 1945, when tins undertaking came into force. New Zealand had supplied a total of only 1,450,000 board feet of sawn timber of all species, plus 180,000 board feet of box shooks. During the whole of 1945 the total exports amounted to only 3,000.000 board feet, hence the statement that “ millions of feet of timber were being exported to Australia, this being one of the major causes of the house-building bottleneck,’ was a gross exaggeration. The small quantitv going to Australia would have little effect on the position, and in any event New Zealand gained from Australia by import far more timber than was exported. They were exporting less than 1 per cent, of their production. Imports from Australia during 1945 exceeded 10.000,000 board feet. “ Quite Incorrect ” The statement that “ 12,000 houses would absorb 70,000,000 feet at most, leaving sufficient for a further 50,000 houses at least” was quite incorrect, continued Mr Skinner. This placed the average timber consumption per dwelling at less than 6000 feet, which was much too low, whilst the second portion of the statement implied that the whole of their annual production was suitable for house building which was by no means true. Statistics' collected recently showed that 60 per cent, of all rimu, matai and totara production went to purposes which were covered by building permits, and he was satisfied that housing activities were receiving their due share of the timber available. „ , One of the major difficulties m servicing the demands of the building trade was to be found in the depleted stocks in timber yards, and as a result of defence construction the total stocks had fallen approximately to 25 per cent, of their pre-war level. It was this factor which was largely the cause of much of the delay. The present distribution of available timber supplies, concluded Mr Skinner, had been organised on an equitable basis, but there was an urgent demand for increased production, and the Government was taking active steps to encourage more men to enter the sawmilling industry, but until production could be increased rationing had to continue.

Reply by Mr W. R. Williams Mr W. R. Williams stated that the most noteworthy feature of Mr Skinner’s reply was the facility with which he quoted timber export figures, seeking to show how little building timber had been exported to Australia. He admitted, however that 1,450,000 feet of sawn timber were supplied to Australia between September 1, 1945, and February 5, 1946, but he said nothing about the further consignment of nearly 1,000,000 feet that went to Australia within three weeks of the date on which he wrote his letter. The latter statement, Mr Williams said, was based on information supplied by the West Coast Sawmillers' Association, and that organisation could be expected to know that timber shipments were being made, notwithstanding anything Mr Skinner might say to the contrary. Further big consignments, he was informed, were to go to Australia in the near future. Therefore could the timber and building trades in this country be anything but concerned at th« tendency of the Government to bolster up trade balances overseas, by exporting a commodity that was so badly needed in this country? In his opinion it would be a much better proposition to pay for what quantity of Australian hardwood New Zealand needed, and to use the timber exported from the Dominion to increase the ration in this country. Mr Skinner had said that 342,000,000 feet of building timber were milled in New Zealand last year, stated Mr Williams, and if only 3,000,000 feet were exported what happened to the remaining 339,000,000 feet? In the early war years '* defence construction ” would be the answer, but that excuse was not available in 1944 and 1945, and certainly not In 1946. Mr Williams said he made the statement that the 12,000 houses the Government proposed to build would absorb 70,000,000 feet of timber, and would leave sufficient to build a further 50,000 houses on the assumption that the whole of the timber would be directed to housing. Mr Skinner claimed he was satisfied that housing activities were receiving their due share of the timber available. That might be the case in the North Island, but it was certainly not true of the South Island. Reciprocal Needs Mr James Meikle said he had been given to understand that the concrete poles used by the Post and Telegraph Department were not satisfactory, and that the department had to have hardwood poles. To obtain them New Zealand had to export to Australia an equivalent in New Zealand timber. Mr M. Coutts said that another department had experienced trouble with concrete poles. Mr Williams said that ribbed-type concrete poles .were now being made, and there was no evidence that these were not satisfactory. Under heavy snow iron and hardwood poles were flattened. They needed every foot of timber for housing, he said, and permits for residences had not been refused. In reply to Mr L. McCallum, the secretary (Mr Hay) reported that there were no permanent residents in caravans at the Oamaru motor camp.—Mr McCallum commented that he had recently been in the North Island, and in every camp there were three or four permanent residents, so the position seemed to be worse there than in the South Island. It was agreed to forward a letter to Mr Skinner along the lines indicated by Mr Williams.