KAURI TIMBER.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13314, 17 June 1907, Page 3

KAURI TIMBER.

PRICE IX NEW ZEALAND AND, .MELBOURNE. Seme recent statements regarding the price of kauri, telegraphed irom* L/hristciiurch, were inquired into by the. Auckland "Herald." ■ One of the most prominent sawmillers stated that anyone in New Zealand could purch'ase kauri timber in ordinary lengths and widths neb, f.o.b. Auckland,, at the, following prices:— First-cUv.33,'.TVs 6d per 100 super.; &econd-class (medium), 14s 6d per 100 super.; third-class, 9s per 100 super. "Taking for example," he said, "an individual resident in C'hristchurch, hischarges for the. timber landed in Christchurch would include: Freight to Lyttelton, 3s, wharfage 3d, and railage-to Chrieichurch Is 3d, making a total of 4s 6d per hundred. This, added to the prices above, giV'ts tile following as -tho actual cost of timber in ChrUteliurcb. to anyone dtsiring to purchase: —First-class, 22s per 10.0 super. ; second-class .(medium), 19s per 100' super. ; and third-class, 12ti 6d per 100 super." Th:> >ame prices ars charged to a .Melbourne buyer, f.o.b. Auckland, and his purchase is subject to charges totalling 5s sd, being aveiage freight 4s 6d, and landing charges lid.- The prices in •■ Melbourne are: First-class, 22s lid super. ; second-class, 19s lid per 100 super.; and third-class, 14s sd' per 100 super. To bring this timber back to Christehurch, as, has been reported as done, there would be the following charges to be added:—Fright, 4s; wharfage, 3d; andrailage, Is 3d; total, 5s 6d. "On these figures, a buyvr would require to net. tire following prices before making any profit on the transaction for himself : —Firstclass, 28s 5d per .100 super. ; second-class, 25s 5d per 100 super.; and. third-class,' 19s lid per 100 super." "In the case, both of shipments to ChrLstchurch and the South or shipments to Melbourne and other parts of Australia., arrangements' can be made for obtaining timber from country' mills in ..cargoes of stock lines at 6d per 100 less cost, and at a somewhat reduced freight, but* the pro--poition remains much the same." It was obvious from "the figures that'the statement- that first-class kauri timber could be purchased'.in Melbourne and landed in Christehurch cheaper than ifc could be obtained in New Zealand ,was entirely erroneous. - ••■'■.' ENQUIRIES IN TLMARU. V ThV latest price list of Messrs J. Moore and iSc-ns, of Melbourne, 'as shown to a member; of the " timaru Herald" staff oh Saturday quotes first-class kauri at 21s to 245, for sizes. 4£ inches to 18 inches per 100 feet. Second-class is quoted at 18s to : 21s, and third 12s 6d to 18s. The Auckland "Herald's" figures cannot, therefore, have been taken from the latest price list. To these figures for- kauri landed at Timaru, from Melbourne, are to be added 4s for freight and 3d for wharfage, which brings up the total cost to, say, 26s for first class, 22s for, second and 17s 6d for third. Taking the, prices charged at Timaru from Auckland and. the landed: cost here from Melbourne, importers assure us that they save Is to 3s per 100 feet by importing New Zealand kauri from the Victoria port.-