OREGON TIMBER DUTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2842, 2 September 1908, Page 87

OREGON TIMBER DUTY.

MEETING OF BUILDERS. AUCKLAND, August 27.. The duty on Oregon pine formed tha subject of a discussion at yesterday's' meeting of the Auckland Builders' Asso-i ciation. The matter was brought up on; a motion by Mr J. Rowe to the effect—* " That this association considers the pro* posal to increase the duty on imported^ building timber inadvisable." Mr Rowe said that the Customs had now informed! the New Zealand Builders and Contractors' Federation that the Ministry had' decided not to alter the import or export duty on timber. Although no increase, of duty was threatened immediately, tho position was nevertheless a serious one. : They must make a- big effort to combatf the expressed desire of the sawmillers foij an increased import duty on Oregon and other timbers. It was the business of the- Government to see that every colonisS wasr left in a position to build, his house at a reasonable cost. The sawmillers* were not by any means the only people* 1 concerned. 'Builders • in. Auckland werfcjlosing work every day owing to the faci^ that people would not build with' tiniberj at its present price. Mr- Johns move* an amendment to the effect that the asscW ciation should work for- the total aboli* tion of the duty. Not a\[uarter of th« building was going on in Auckland which" might be under way were timber prices?' at a reasonable figure. Builders shouldn start by breaking the ring of timber;} merchants which was helping to keep upw prices. There was a remarkable example* of how the ring had captured the marked in the fact that timber could be shipped?' from Holrianga to Sydney and then bacfrto Wellington and be sold at a cheaper) rate than that at which it was obtainable from the ordinary merchants. The builders must combine to import their, own timber, and also buy native woods] from mills not in the ring. Mr Davies said that some 16 months ago a deputation from the association waited upon the' Hon. Geo. Fowlds and asked that the duty of 2s per 100 ft be taken off Oregon^ pine. They were told that the matter, would have the consideration of the! Ministry, but no change had been made in the way of reducing the import dutjft on Oregon or increasing the export dutj, on native timber. "" The deputations' pointed out to Mr Fowlds that there was 1 a shortage of timber for building pur* poses, but it would appear that the J}o-, minion sa-wmillers had only been waiting^ for the tariff to be fixed and they were* free from foreign competition, for sincet . that time there had been two big increases^ in the cost of kauri, amounting altogether to 2s 6d per 100 ft. Not only was it de-j, sirable that Oregon should be allowed t» enter free, but also Australian redwood,' which was a timber which did not enter, into competition with any other. Mra Rowe stated that he^,was thoroughly in] favour of the amendment advocating the entire abolition of the import duty, andT on its being put to the vote the amend* ment was carried unanimously.