RUSSIAN TIMBER ON THE MARKET.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 145, 20 June 1931, Page 34 (Supplement)

RUSSIAN TIMBER ON THE MARKET.

OAK PLYWOOD BEING SOLD IN CHRISTCHURCH

The first shipment of Russian timber to reach New Zealand direct from Vladivostok was landed at Lyttelton this week and is now in the Christchurch market. The consignment, about 20,000 superficial feet, consisted of oak plywood.

During the past few months about 100,000 feet of Russian plywoods have been received in Christchurch, the total including this week’s shipment. Prior to the latest shipment, the material was bought from the Soviet agents in Australia, but direct importing has now commenced. The latest shipment was sent from Vladivostok to Sydney and transhipped from there to Lyttelton. Plywoods of various kinds are largely used in the Dominion in the furniture trade, house and office panelling and motor body building. In the past the supplies have been drawn from the United States, Japan, Scandinavia and Russia. The Russian products in the past have been imported mainly through London, supplies of Russian material from this source having been on the market here for over ten years. Lower Prices. By importing direct the Christchurch agents are able to sell the material at a much lower price than has hitherto been the case. An indication of the prices is given by a comparison with those of Japanese oak plywood. For second grade material six millimetres in thickness the price in Christchurch for Japanese plywood is eightpence a foot, while the Russian product is being sold at fourpence halfpenny a foot. At these prices oak plywood is being sold to-day at a much lower rate than that quoted for Oregon plywood, which is of a lower quality than the oak. Birch plywood of Russian manufacture is also on the Christchurch market, the last shipment having come through a firm in Rotterdam. This is also selling at a much lower price than similar quality plywood from other countries.

There is no special rate of Customs duty on plywoods from Russia, that country being on the same scale as other foreign lands. The duty paid works out at just on 60 per cent on the value at the port of shipment.

It is likely that in view of the success which the agents have had with the Russian product in Christchurch, the system of shipment from Vladivostok to Lyttelton via Sydney will be continued.