TIMBER COMMISSION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13901, 12 May 1909, Page 6

TIMBER COMMISSION.

SITTING AT AUCKLAND

Per Press Association

AUCKLAND, May 11. Heiiry Valder, managing director of Ellis and Rurnard, Ltd., said his firm cut about 1,500,000 feet per month and employed between 300 and 400 men. Although the cost of living and provisions had gone up of late years, the cost of filling that is from log to truck had not gone up in tho same proportion, owing to improved methods of haulage by steam instead of by bullocks. Steam haulage had made many parts of the bush accessible which were not previously so. For every 100 ft. of timber produced his firm paid 5s 6d in wages; consequently for every 100 ft. imported that sum in wages was lost to the workers here. He thought an increased duty should be placed on long lengths of Oregon as well as on short lengths. They gave 7A per cent, discount fixed by the South Auckland Sawmillers Association. He admitted that a number of small sawmills in tho "VYaiktao and King Country were in difficulty before tho importation of Oregon pine commenced.

Mr Leyland: So Oregon pine is not responsible for their difficulties? "Witness: Not entirely; nevertheless it has had a bad effect upon the industry. J. H. Norie, railway storekeeper at Newmarket, said he had great difficulty in obtaining supplies of heart of rimu and kauri. He had placed orders three years ago which had not been executed yet. He admitted that the Government were very exacting in regard to the quality. They had used a little Oregon, but the policy was to support local industry. They used about 100,000 ft. a month. About eighteen months ago they had cancelled unfulfilled ord* ers for *1,100,000' feet of kauri. Since the importation of Oregon pine the supplies of kauri required by the Government had been coming forward more freely. He favoured an export duty on kauri.