AMERICAN TIMBERS

Southland Times, Issue 19899, 18 June 1926, Page 11

AMERICAN TIMBERS

FOUR MONTHS’ IMPORT. HEMLOCK FOR INTERIOR FINISH. For the first four months of the calendar year, as compared with the corresponding period of last year, imports. of American cedar increased nearly 100 per cent., imports of hemlock and spruce by 600 per cent. Some 23,526,142 feet board measure of timber were imported during the four months ended April 30, 1926, compared to 27,303,643 feet b.m. imported during the corresponding period of 1925. Poles and sleepers (i.e. mixed Australian hardwoods) account for the whole decrease. For the same period in 1925, 5,188,220 feet b.m. of poles and 3,282,040 feet b.m. of sleepers were imported, whereas this year 2,240,367 feet b.m. of poles and only 620,223 feet b.m. of sleepers have entered the country, showing a decrease of over 5,600,000 feet b.m. and thus indicating the curtailed buying activities of the various Government agencies. DOUGLAS FIR DECREASES. Trade in American softwoods, however, continues to increase, and 11,676,957 feet b.m. have already been imported this year compared to 8,969,907 feet b.m. for the same period of last year. But whereas Douglas fir has fallen from 6,824,911 feet b.m. last year to 4,080,072 feet bun. this year, cedar, hemlock, and spruce have increased enormously, 2,987,172 feet b.m. of cedar having been imported this year compared to 1,552,431 feet bun. for the corresponding month last year, thus showing an increase of nearly 100 per cent. The increased trade in hemlock and spruce (of both of which 90 per cent, is imported dressed) is still more marked, 3,809,113 feet b.m. having been imported this year compared to only 592,565. feet b.m. for the game period last year. Cedar is used chiefly for weather-boarding, and a large proportion of the dressed hemlock is probably finding its way into interior finish work—a purpose for which it has been extensively used in England. CUSTOMS VALUES. A few remarks in unit values may prove of interest. The average Customs value of high sawn Douglas fir for the first four months of this year was 11/5, 11/10, 10/2, and 13/1 respectively per 100 feet b.m. The figure 10/2 for March indicated that the American market was very low about the earlier months of this year, and this has since been verified by cable news. The increased price for April indicates a more stable market. Last year the prices were fairly even, varying from 12/5 to 15/3 per 100 feet b.m. The average Customs value of rough sawn cedar has been approximately the same as last year—varying round about 24/- per 100 feet b.m. Dressed hemlock is much cheaper this year, the average Customs value for the first four months of this year being 23/5, 22/10, 18/8, and 18/- respectively per 100 feet b.m., indicating a progressive decrease. The lowest figure for last year was 18/7, but this only held for one month, and the average figure was approximately 25/-.