TIMBER COMMISSION.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11817, 2 April 1909, Page 5

TIMBER COMMISSION.

.'.:. '. Ar— r '. . ♦ ,;' -. . (Per Press Association.) DUNEDIN, v thiß day. iAt'' the Timber Commission Gabriel Lodges, builder and contractor, said he wais m favor of Oregon and other foreign timber being admitted duty free. Oregon and Australian hardwood filled a muchfelt want. The prices for timber m general m Dunedin had advanced of late years, but still compared favorably with the prices ruling m other centres. The price of timber effected a number of buildings being erected, especially as regards buildings of a speculative "nature. Oregon and Australian luirdw>fld supplied a want that it was impoeSihle to fill with any native timber. ' It gave better lengths, bigger sizes, was bettor seasoned, easier to handle, and retained its size and shape better than any local timber. Buuoej's put m unseasoned timber, because they "could not get seasoned. The extra cast of timber now as cnhiparcd with soriie years* ago wns principally for dressed timber, such a* linings,, ceilings, mouldings; etc. He understood there wais a combination among timber merchants m Dunedin to keep up prices. There was a fixed price list. He did not think forest plantations would provide a duplicate of native timber. It would provide another titnbgarvbf some commercial value, but not as good. H.V. Haddock, manager for Murdoch and Co., timber merchants, said the importation of timber made veiy little difference to Southland and other sawmills. More Oregon had come to mill during the last two or three months than iv the past. Bluegmn and "black pine had given way to concrete for- piles, and there wns not the same necessity for importing hardwood. There had been no revision of prices, except as to Baltic and Oregon pine. The Dunedin prices were fixed nt Invercwrgill. The railway freights were reasonable. It would not make any difference to him whether the duty was taken off or put on imported timber. He. thought it was desirable to conserve our forests to pome extent. Ten years ' ago timber was lOs, .with 5 per cent, discount; now. it was 13s, with 18 per cent, discount. ' Thc. expense of getting timber was a great deal less m the past than now. A. McCiillum, sawmiller and timber merchant, advocated a duty on all sizes of Oregon pine. Timber might be brought from such places as Colac Bay aud the. West Coast by vessels at a. less ! price than they were now paying. "Tlie I tiqiber. business was not as payable aa it' was ten years agoA Oregon was not likely to' reduce the cost of New Zealand .timber. ; At to-day's sitting of the Timber Commission, Edwin Broad, manager of the Dftuedin Timber Company, said the Dunedin timber merchants had to compete with-. Southland sawmillers. and although tho price of red pine -was 13s 6d per. 100 feet, less discount^- thev lv>d to sell it at lis 6d, to .compete with {Southland. Ten years bi?ot*thepwcc'' r was 1 10s. ', -To Mr^Ariiold : He knew of a threat by Jhe, Ponthlan<ivSjiwmiller.V Association not to allow any of 'thpir mills to supply his .or "any firm dealing with outside miljiv: . He 'did 1 ' not think unrestricted iipjKMtati^n of'-tijpber greatly stiigiilate the buij(Hng trade. As n- timr ber n*3rc.hi»ht,'v.Htness was not particular, wljothen the '. dprty on Oregon pine : was renjovCd not, but for the welfare of the cbnuhunity : he would like to see it retained:',' Witness paid ; 19s for kauri m Auckland, and sold it m Dunedin for 325, less discount. ' r The difference was- due to, 'freight, harbor dues, cartage, and warite'incuttihjj it up: '•To/Mr Fjeld : If the merchants charged 25s'. per ceiit. additional on what they paid i for New Zealand timber, it would ■cover freight,, pavment of men, rates arid ttfxeg, i etc., find leave a margin of profit, but-'a very small margin indeed.