SALE OF TIMBER

Thames Star, Volume LVI, Issue 14324, 10 September 1920, Page 1

SALE OF TIMBER

CONTROLLED BY FEW FIRMS. ' 1 MENTIONED IN HOUSE. (SpocJal Parliamfeivtary Reporter.) 1 1 WELLINGTON, Thmrsday. .', Allegations tliat tlie «aie of timiber 1 < in New Ze&lanld! is boing controlled -1 by-la few firms engfagjed im tihe te'ade I' were, mentioned'in the Howe of Representatives this afternoon. Mi* Nash drew . tha attention of the Paiianiei Mindsteii 1 ta the repoi'ti current that three oJ foui* peapl© in a largfei way of business were controlling! the purchase of timber foa- the puirpiose putoarily of building; houses fioa* the Governmient. Tlhat was naturally operating against private purcihasers and . builders. Be sujggjested, that the sale ; ' of tf.miber ahoiuld b© -placieid; under 1 the Board of Trade, for at present a> ' pr'emiumu ovea' and aibovei the list piioe was being ohaa-gied on large quanti- ■ ties of timiber. He quoted the case of ' r on« builder who' had to pay 7s per 100 ft over the propeir iate. If that • sort of tibing wer'a allowed! to go it { would mean that thie> .public generally wOuld be unable to) get timiber unless t3ie i>urcihasei's wea'ei prtapared to |pay these high, priaes for it, Ma- Masisey in. reply said tlia-b M was sony. tq lueat' it suggested that a trust wials beimfj! 'prepiareid for the piuiposa of keeftDijugi ujp ihe pricie of timiber to the.peiqplef.oif New Zealand. If that Were ®o steps should be tafen to stop it and' puaafeh those responsible., ob the law provided. With r©sipect to the suggestion that the* Boa-rd of Trade ■ should take over the control of the ■ ttmibea-, tihe President ol the Board (Hon. Mr Lee) was in | the Chmvbei? and no doubt he would | ■take the proposal into consideration. J , __—__ — -f- •—— ' i..