SAW-MILLING INDUSTRY

Otago Witness, Issue 3414, 20 August 1919, Page 44

SAW-MILLING INDUSTRY

DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS. WELLINGTON, August 16. A deputation, representative of the sawmilling r industry., waited upon the Prime Minister and Minister of Railways to urge upon them the seriousness of the position of the industry owing to the curtailment of the railway service. The deputation was introduced by the Hon. D. H. Guthrie (Minister of Lands) and Mr W. H. Field, M.P. Stress was laid on the fact that the deputation was not there to find fault, but to offer to lend all possible assistance to the Government in the difficult situation which had arisen. Mr Field said there was an impression abroad that the trouble was due not only to the coal crisis but to the fact that railway rolling stock was out of repair and was unfit to cope with haulage requirements. The nrincipal speaker was Mr W. J. Butler (president of the New Zealand Sawmilling Association), and the other speakers were Messrs Bush (representing the Main Trunk line sawmillers) and Campbell (representing- Otago and Southland). It was pointed out that millers were setting up committees in their various districts to deal with the situation as far" as possible, and a meeting was to be held in a few days to decide whether mills should, close down or not. Millers have been keeping their men on and stacking timber, but space had become exhausted, and unless some relief were obtained soon there would be no alternative but to close down. On the Main Trunk line alone over 2000 men were employed. Half of them were married, and if they were to be thrown out of work it would be a disaster. Stress was also laid on the urgent demand for timber for building for returned soldiers and others throughout the dominion, and it was pointed out that the cessation of supplies was seriously affecting the allied building trades throughout the country. Millers had offered to supply free of cost rata, matai, maire, and tawa firewood for firing the railway engines. The Prime Minister, in reply, assured the deputation of the Government's desire to restore the carriage of timber at the earliest possible moment, and when the Australian strike was settled, which he hoped would be in a few days, the Government would resume timber hauling. He was hopeful that they would not have to wait many days. Mr Massey also assured the deputation that the rolling stock was in very good order, and the reason that so many wagons were now in the workshops was that advantage was being taken by the department of the reduced service to see that the rolling stock was put in thorough repair. Mr Hemes also said that the want of coal was the sole reason for the curtailment, and the position 'was largely due to the epidemic and the strike in Australia. Firewood, he had been informed, could not_ be used without an alteration to the engine boxes, but he would look further into this matter. He thanked the millers for their generous and helpful attitude throughout.