The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1912. THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 15, 10 September 1912, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1912. THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

Referring to the timber industry of the Dominion and the markedly increased demand for New Zealand "timbers in Australia the Auckland "Star" states that white pine and kauri is wanted in Sydney and Melbourne in all lengths, ' but although the supply at the various timber ports has been quite up to demand in all classes, shippers have met with difficulties on every hand in securing tonnage. This has been due to a great extent to the extraordinary boom in the coal trade, calling for all the steamers that were available. Owing to the strikes at Home, however, there are at present very few big steamers in New Zealand waters. As a result, there has been a decided slackening off in the amount of bunker coal required, and firms have had an opportunity of laying in a supply a»hore and for the hulks. Shipowners are now prepared to accept reasonable charters for the transportation of lumber. It is further pointed out that during the last few months a tremendous amount of sawn timber has been accumulating at. both Hokianga and Kaipara owing to the scarcity of tonnage for transportation. Now an effort is being made to cope with the big orders made bj Australian dealers. Several of the Craig barques have returned to those ports from Australia and loaded timber back without visiting Auckland as usual. It is seldom that there is not a sailing ship on the loading berth for timber at Auckland. Formerly comparatively little timber was shipped from Auckland, it being the practice of sailers to discharge coal there and proceed to Northern ports to load timber back to Australia. Since the opening of the Main Trunk lino through to Wellington, however, timber mills have been started all through the Te Kuiti and Taumarunui districts, and the sawn timber is carried to Auckland by rail. lAI- - large quantities of white pine are being utilised by (Australian firms for the construction of butter boxes, it appears that lines which are not suitable for that purpose are made up into furniture. White pine takes the stain much more freely than timber of a better class, and by employing Chinese labour it is found possible to produce a really presentable article at a small cost. INDIA. India is dealt with in an interesting article in the "Edinburgh Review," the writer expressing the view that the change of the seat of Government from Calcutta to Delhi was a master-

stroke of policy, and that "the black cloud of unrest that had been hanging over India for five years, ever gathering in deepness, disappeared in an in-

stani before the sunshine of Delhi." In definite terms a suggestion is repeated to the effect that a Royal Prince

should go to India, as the King's reiresentative to discharge the social and leremonial functions of the \ iceroy s jffice, and that he sliould have a Prime Minister to cany on the Viceroy's adninistrative work. It is set forth ,vith some show of authority that the King's visit to India was the first step ;owards this far-reaching reform. "The Prince Regent," says this writer, "will je in close touch with the chiefs, and oading families of India, and in his frequent tours he will learn the opinions, the hopes, and the ambitions of the various provinces. He will bring back with him to the capital, firstnind information, which will be of great value to the Administration, for it will be information given freely and unofficially." Decentralisation is said to be the coming system in India, and the work of the Provincial Governments more in touch with Indian sentiment is to be expanded. If this is a correct forecast it would appear that British rule in India is entering on a new phase.