MILLS WORKING FULL TIME

Southland Times, Issue 23793, 15 April 1939, Page 4

MILLS WORKING FULL TIME

DEMAND FOR HEART TIMBER USE OF SECOND-CLASS PRODUCT ADVOCATED The secretary (the Hon. T. O’Byrne, M.L.C.) reported at a meeting of the Southland branch of the New Zealand Timber Workers’ Union that all members in the 55 saw mills were working full time. The millers appeared to have sufficient orders to carry on, although there was to a certain extent, a shortage of orders for ordinary building timber, as everyone appeared to want first-class heart, this including particularly the Government orders, and as there was less than 40 per cent. of first-class timber in New Zealand forests. This raised the question of wnat was going to be done with the other 60 per cent. 0.8. timber, said Mr O’Byrne. The Government, and others requiring building timber, should let up on their specifications and allow the builders to work in ordinary building timber where suitable —this could be done and would last just as long where it was protected from the weather. If this matter of using up all the cut of the tree was gone into by people who understand the value and durabil- . ity of timber, the prices of buddings could be very considerably reduced, said Mr O’Byrne. He thought it was up to the Saw Millers’ Association and the Timber Workers’ Union to go into this matter for the purpose of making I helpful suggestions to the Government and other users of timber, as a great curtailment of costs could then be effected, at the same time satisfactorily disposing of the big stocks of timber at present unsaleable, unless it was given away at less than cost price. Mr O’Byrne said that if the saw mill owner could get rid of the ordinary building timber at a saleable price, this would tend to greatly reduce the price of all clean-heart timber, a jd i the 0.8. timber was properly dried, it would last a lifetime. The use of firstclass figure heart ,for flooring, as in some of the Government houses, was* not necessary as the floors were generally covered with linoleum or carpets, and the 0.8. timber would be quite suitable for this purpose. Mr O’Byroe added that he was speaking recently to the Minister of Housing (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong), and he was prepared to consider any suggestions of a practical nature which would help to use up the ordinary building timber, at the same time reducing the costs of housing to the people. Mr O’Byrne expressed the hope that those interested in the building trade would give the matter their consideration, and make suggestions accordingly. The report was received with thanks. A letter was received from the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) in reply to an inquiry from the secretary about the making of skewers from New Zealand timber, stating that the consumption of skewers in. New Zealand was estimated at between three and four hundred thousand weekly, and the existing units in New Zealand had plant capable of producing the whole of the Dominion s requirements. \ Mr O’Byrne referred to the death of Miss May Holman, M.L.A., a former secretary of the West Australian Timber Workers’ Union, mentioning work she had done for timber workers. A motion of sympathy was passed with Miss Holman’s relations. The inspector of factories, Dunedin, wrote stating that he had made inquiries into the alleged breach of the award about late payment of wages at Lovells Flat, and that arrangements had been made to ensure prompt payment for the future. Complaints were received that some of the mills in the Western District were ‘ not equipped with shower, bath, or medical, outfit, and the inspector was asked to inquire into the matter.

THE METAL MARKET (Received April 14, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 13. Metal quotations are as follows;— April 11 April 13

THE WHEAT MARKET LONDON, April 13. Wheat cargoes are steady and the Australian spot trade is quiet. Quotations, ex store, 18/6, 19/3. THE PRICE OF GOLD LONDON, April 13. The price of gold is £7 8/6 per oz.

fl. to £1 12.107 8.82 f Milan, lire 1.81% 89 to £1 92.00 89 Berlin, reichmarken to £1 20.43 11.67 11.68% Copenhagen, kr. to £1 18.159 22.40 22.40 Stockholm, kr. to £1 18.159 19.42 19.42 Oslo, kr. to £1 18.159 19.90 19.90 Vienna, schgs. to £1 34.585 — Prague, kr. to £1 164.25 — Helsingfors, marks to £1 193.23 226% 226% Madrid, pesetas to £1 25.2215 Lisbon, escudos to £1 110 110% 110% Athens, drach to £1 375 547% 547% Bucharest, lei to £1 818.60 660 660 Belgrade, dinars 376.3 209 209 Bio de Janeiro, pence to milreis 5.899 3 1-16 3 1-16 Buenos Aires, pence to dol. 11.45 20.20% 20.17% Montevideo, pence to peso 51 18% 18% Bombay, pence to rupee 18 17 15-16 17 15-16 Shanghai, pence to yen * — — Hong Kong, pence to yen * 14% 14% Yokohama, / pence to yen 24.58 14 14 Batavia, guilders 12.107 8.81 8.81 Warsaw, par zlotys to £1 43.38 24.81 24.81 •Determined by price of silver.

A ton.' A ton. £ s d £ s d Copper— Standard, spot 41 19 42 2 6 Forward 42 5 71/2 42 8 IV2 Electrolytic 47 15 0 48 0 0 to 48 15 0 48 15 0 Wire bars 48 15 0 48 15 0 Lead— Spot 14 0 71/2 14 1 10'/ 2 Forward 15 5 7‘,'2 14 9 4’,'a SpelterSpot 13 6 3 13 G 10>/2 Forward 13 11 3 13 11 10>/ 2 TinSpot 214 5 ' 0 215 7 6 Forward 211 12 6 213 10 0 Silver— Fine, per 07. Standard, per oz 20d 21 9-16d 20d 21 9-16d