FORESTRY COMMISSION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3085, 30 April 1913, Page 20

FORESTRY COMMISSION.

SITTING IN AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND, April 24. Mr William Arthur Camming, president of the Auckland branch of the Institute of Architects, was called to give evidence regarding the probable increase in the price of building residences, as the price of timber increased with the lessening supply. He said that the cost of a brick or concrete dwelling house was from 18 to 20 per cent, greater than that of a wooden house. In the event of the price of timber advancing, this difference in the cost of building would lessen provided there was not a sympathetic rise in the price of the permanent materials. The price of bricks had gone up considerably during the past few years. Mr Gumming undertook to call a meeting of members of his profession to consider the matters concerning them in the commission’s order of reference and to supply the commission in due course with detailed information concerning the relation of the future timber supply to the building industry. Mr Gumming suggested to the commission the advisability, where afforestation was undertaken, of choosing areas convenient to the market, and of considering the importance of climate and temperature in regard to the different trees. Scotch fir, which throve admirably in Sweden, was a failure in England. He had bad persona! experience of timber. From a. 50-year-old o’k the wood was eappy, and in four years was riddled with worms. Ho agreed with 1)r Cockayne that it would certainly provide much valuable information if an examination could be made of our older plantations and the timber of the trees compared with the wood of the same trees on their native soil, Mr \V. I>. Leyland referred to the evidence submitted to the Dominions Koval Commission that the consumption of timber per capita had increased 94 per cent, in America, a country where substitutes for timber were more largely used probably than anywhere else in the world. Mr Leyland could not see that the greater use of'permanent building materials would decrease the demand for timber. More timber, though of a lower grade, was used in the construction of ferro concrete buildings than had been formerly used in wooden buildings. In his opinion there would be no decrease whatever in the demand for high-grade timber, while the demand foe lower-grade timber would continue to increase. Mr Leyland remarked that he could see no objection whatever to the planting of timber in the inland districts. By the time the timber had crown there would certainly be the population to use it, and it was urgent that timely steps should bo taken to cope with the imminent scarcity of timber throughout the country. Mr David Goldie, timber merchant, expressed the opinion that it would be most unwise to allow white pine to be exported to England and elsewhere for such general

purposes as making piano cases, etc. Timber was now being used which was rejected when the mills went through the forests years ago. There was an enormous waste of timber by fire-tapping kauri for the gum. Questioned on the necessity for planting, Mr Goldie said it depended on the price paid for labour. It might be cheaper to import than to produce. There was enough timber in the world to last out our time.