USES FOR TIMBER

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 23082, 22 December 1944, Page 7

USES FOR TIMBER

Wartime Development Revolutionary developments in the utilisation of timber for war purposes and the future of the industry in New Zealand in the post-war period were referred to by Mr Carlton Pollard in an address at Auckland. Mr Pollard returned recently from a six months’ tour of the United States and Canada. Dealing with the part played by timber, plywood and wood products in war production, Mr Pollard stated that they were listed as among the most critical materials. The variety of their uses was staggering, including the famous Mosquito bomber, small naval craft, patrol boats and minesweepers, the decking, bulkheads and finishing of Liberty ships, huge aircraft hanears with unsupported spans hundreds of feet in length, onepiece moulded plywood lifeboats, freight trucks, ambulances, military hospitals, mobile dressing stations and military camps, hutments and canteens. Timber also was indispensable for the packaging and crating of foodstuffs and for houses for war workers. While in America Mr Pollard had witnessed the constriction of a town to house 50,000 people, which was comnleted in three months. An example of prefabrication was in Detroit, where sections had arrived in complete halfhouses. Three weeks after the first sod was turned there were sufficient dwellings to house practically all the personnel of one of the largest war plants In the world. Great strides had been made in scientific research, and one laboratory had been responsible for saving in one year a Quantity of timber which represented five rimes'the annual output of New Zealand.

The Dominion would require fully 50(100 houses, thus providing years of work at a much greater rate of production than formerly. With its reputation as probably the fastest timbergrowing country in the world, New Zealand would a °reat opportunity to increase employment and build up overseas funds. In its ninus insignis forests were great potential assets, and many thouands of feet were ready for export. To achieve th’’ production, large new sawmills with the latest equipment - <’nuld be necessary. University graduates would be required with the highest Qualifications in science and engineering. and voung executives should be sent overseas. Apprenticeship laws would have to be revised and made practicable, as well as a revision In the Government's forest policy, based on private enterprise and long-term tenure.