HARDWOOD TIMBER

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVIII, Issue 23282, 18 August 1945, Page 4

HARDWOOD TIMBER

Increased Supply From Australia (N.Z.P.A.) WELLINGTON. Aug. 17. Due to the wartime shortage of suitable hardwoods for track sleepers and other maintenance works, the need of the New Zealand railway system has required action by the Government to obtain more supplies of this kind of timber from Australia, said Mr W. H. Skinner, Commissioner of Forests, tonight. An agreement was reached between Australia and New Zealand at the beginning of the war from the exchange of essential hardwood requirements from Australia for New Zealand timbers. principally softwoods, which were similarly essential for Commonwealth industries. It has been impossible, however, to maintain deliveries under the agreement because of the shipping position. Under the agreement it was Intended that New Zealand would receive 13.000,000 board feet of hardwoods annually in return for 12.000.000 board feet of rimu and 1.000,000 board feet of silver beech which Australia required. Although the Commonwealth lias been able to ship 10,000.000 board feet of hardwoods annually to the Dominion. New Zealand,' during the last two years, has been able to supply from the South Island only 3.000,000 board feet of softwoods annually, and it will not be possible for Australia to maintain even the current deliveries unless New Zealand can increase its shipments of softwoods in exchange. The New Zealand Government accordingly has agreed to the release of 300,000 board feet of softwoods monthly from Auckland in order to supplement the South Island shipments until it is possible to resume export again in adequate quantities from Greymouth, which was the port from which the supply was contemplated when agreement was made with Australia. It is expected that many local industries. which have been placed in a difficult position through the shortage of Australian hardwoods during the war, will now be able to obtain sufficient supplies for their essential needs.