The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. “Luceo Non Uro.” SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 1936. Export Of Native Timber

Southland Times, Issue 22969, 15 August 1936, Page 6

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. “Luceo Non Uro.” SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 1936. Export Of Native Timber

At the last annual meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Agricultural and Pastoral Society a resolution was carried expressing alarm at the destruction of New Zealand’s forests and urging the Government to prohibit further export of native timbers. Support for this resolution is now being sought from chambers of commerce and agricultural and pastoral societies throughout the Dominion. The matter came before the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce at its meeting on Thursday, and the chairman wisely suggested that a special committee should be set up to investigate and report a suggestion which was adopted. , A mistake would unquestionably have been made if the Chamber had given unqualified approval of such a drastic resolution as one urging the prohibition of the export of native timber. A desire to see the forests of New Zealand conserved is laudable, but it should not be necessary to prohibit the export of timber to achieve a reasonable measure of conservation. The State Forest Service has been functioning in the Dominion for 15 years and has done very valuable work in conserving forests, in planting millions of exotic trees, and in assisting sawmillers to make the best and most economical use of the timber which they cut. The department has been following a clear-cut policy, the basis of which is the conservation of the Dominion’s forests so far as this is consistent with rational development of the timber industry. It has made a careful inventory of the timber supplies of the Dominion, it knows how much timber is consumed in the country and how much is exported, and it keeps a close watch on industrial developments and conservation methods in other countries. There is nothing haphazard about the milling of timber in New Zealand. If the State Forest Service thinks that certain areas should not be milled it does not hesitate to refuse permission to applicants. Realizing that there have been many pinus radiata plantations cut down on farm properties in recent years, the Service has gone in for extensive planting so that when farmers’ supplies of these timbers are exhausted the State forest will immediately be able to fulfil requirements. ‘The timber industry in New Zealand is a very important one. Thousands of men would be thrown out of employment if the export of timber were prohibited, and the loss to the country would be considerable. In particular such a prohibition would deal a heavy blow to Southland, where a very valuable export trade in silver beech is being built up. Under the careful watch of the State Forest Service beech is being milled in many parts of Southland; but there is natural reproduction of this valuable species over’ large areas. Some beech forests have already passed maturity. In these cases it would have been better if some of the timber had been taken many years earlier, for after it reaches a certain stage of maturity beech deteriorates for milling. It would certainly be foolish for native timbers to be cut down unrestrictedly. Not only would this destroy the bush more rapidly than it could be replaced, but ■it would have a disastrous effect on market values. But this danger is surely averted by the existence of the Forestry Department. Moreover recent developments in building and in the manufacture of motor car bodies are tending to conserve timber. Greater use is being made of bricks and concrete in building construction, and steel bodies are being preferred to wooden bodies in motor vehicles. The great waste of timber which took place in so many mills is, being checked and factories are being installed to turn what was formerly waste timber into useful and attractive articles. In the interior decoration of houses timber will go three times as far to-day as a few years ago, the use of three-ply material having made a considerable saving. Clearly there is no cause for alarm, and no need for an embargo on the export of native timber. The special committee set up by the Chamber of Commerce may in its report bring many interesting facts before the Chamber, but it will be surprising if it is able to endorse any proposal to prohibit the export of all native timber.