WHITE PINE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1360, 22 June 1918, Page 11

WHITE PINE.

SHORTAGE OF SUPPLIES. INDUSTRIES AFFECTED. A conference of parties interested in conserving supplies of white pine timber for use in New Zealand industries was held at the office of the National Efficiency Commissioner (Mr .). A. Frostiek) yesterday afternoon. It was stated during the proceedings that the fellinongery, butter-box, and other industries in Canterbury using white pine timber are being affected by the reduced supply available, and that the shortage will have a very serious effect. Already new cooperage works were unable to supply sufficient casks for pelts, tallow, and other produce. The following motion was carried : "That evidence has been tendered showing that white pine is going away from the Dominion at such a rate that within a very few years the supply will be exhausted; that at present the fellmongery industry is suffering for want of casks, coopers stating that timber is unavailable because of shipments overseas going away at considerably higher prices than has been usual locally. We recommend that the Efficiency Board should take steps to impress upon the Government the necessity for securing this class of timber purely for local requirements; also, that a timber company should not have the power to say that no timber is to be sold in New Zealand from a mill, price or no price." Commenting on the matter later, Mr Frostiek stated that if white pine and other timbers were taken out at the present rate —even though reafforestation was taken in hand at once—the supplies would be exhausted in a few years. It was a matter, he said, of great national importance that the supply of timber should be conserved for the use of the people of the Dominion.

In connection with this matter it is 1 interesting to note that a cable message from Melbourne yesterday stated that a deputation representing the timber and i butter trades waited on Mr Jensen, president of the Board of Trade, asking that representations be made to the NewZealand Government requesting it not to prohibit the export of white pine. Mr Jensen undertook to ask the Board of Trade to agree to the adoption of this course.