TIMBER SUPPLIES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 71, Issue 237, 6 October 1928, Page 13

TIMBER SUPPLIES

FORESTRY AUTHORITIES’ GRAVE ANXIETY EMPIRE’S RESOURCES—REPORT OF ECONOMIC COMMITTEE The report of the Imperial Econoiiiic Committee ou •• Timuer’* was recently issued as a The Comm mitlee (oi which bir llallord Mackinder was chairman) summarise their couciusiois asd recommendations as lolluws: 1. Tile adequacy of the world resources of timber, especially of soft woods, to meet the world consumption of the futuie is causing grave anxiety to forestry authorities. V r have not found this feeling of apprehension shared generally oy members of the timber trade in the United Kingdom. 2. We therefore suggest to the forth coming British Emp.re Forestry Conference the need of satisfactory arrangements for collecting and maintaining statistics of the world ’.emand for timber as well as of the merchantable supplies. 3. The total value of timber, manufactured wood, and wood pulp imported into and retained for consumption in the United Kingdom in 1927 was £67,U00,000. 4. It has been computed by the Forestry Commission that the total consumption in the United Kingdom in 1924 amounted to nearly 1.190,000.009 cubic feet of standing t-nibcr (excluding imports of manufactures of wood), and that of this amount only 56,000,000 cubic feet, or 5.4 per cent, were supplied from “ home-grown’’ sources. 5. Of the timber imported into the United Kingdom in the year 1926 approximately 95 per cent, of the soft woods and 70 per cent, of the hard woods wore derived from foreign and not from Empire sources. Looking to Canada. 6. It is from Canada that any large iUc:ease in supplies of Empire-grown soft woods is to be expected, and attention is specially directed to the possibilities of extending the use in the ! United Kingdom of Douglas Hr from British. Columbia. ! 7. The methods of conversion of timber in British Columbia are at present mainly designed for the needs of the North American markets. We suggest ! that if the export trade with the United Kingdom is to be increased there will have to be study of the special requirements of this market. 8. We suggest that the utilisation oft! lighter hard woods in place of soft woods should be carefully explored. 9. There is great potential wealth of . an rd woods in th c Empire. 10. To secure a wider use in the United Kingdom of Empire-grown timber from overseas there must be a supply regular and suiiicient in quantity t suitable in quality, and competitive in price, bacxcd by adequate propaganda. 11. In addition to the foregoing requirements, wc think that in the case of “home-grown’’ timber there is room for co-operation among the woodland owners.

12. We advocate a policy of restraint in regard to the number of varieties of new Empire timbers which are 'oncurrcntly introduced to the British market.

13. We propose that arrangements should be made to enable the Forest Products Research Laboratory at Princes Risborough to undertake work on behalf of the overseas Empire as one of its normal functions, and we recommend the attention oi’ the Empire Marketing Board to this matter. 14. The introduction of new Empire timbers involves risk and expense which exporters, with or without Government aid, must be prepared to un dertake.

15. We suggest that Governments might consider thc advisability of appointing 1o London representatives with special knowledge of the timber of their own lands.

16. Thc Empire Marketing Board might with advantage circulate lists of important instances in which Umpire timbers may be seen in use in the United Kingdom. 17. Wc direct the attention of public bodies to the opportunity of setting an example to timber users generally in the use of timbers of Empire growth. Unfamiliar Empire Woods Eng, gurjun, thitka. padauk, and pyauxuuu irom India; we. tcru hemlock and maple from Canada; Tasmanian oak, silky oak, and jarrah from Australia; greenheart iiom British Guiana, and satinwood from Ceylon arc some of the less familiar woods of thc Empire whose praises are sounded in the report. Thc report indicates in impressive fashion th 0 great and largely undeveloped range of thc Empire’s timber resources, and an appendix gives interesting examples of the purposes of utility and decoration to which Empire timbers whose names are still unfamiliar to the public have already been put. A bridge across the Thames at Henley is shown to be built of pyankadu, and the panelling, pews, and doors of a church in Paddington to be made of padauk. Greenheart, prized for the qualities which make it a valuable component of fishing rods, has also been used for dock gates at Southampton, while Kenya cedarwood is now competing with American cedar in the provision of material for the manufacture of pencils. Thc voting lobby of the London County Hall has been panelled in Indian laurelwood. First-class railway carriages have been panelled by one railway company with Australian walnut, by another with silvergrey wood from India, while thc tables of a popular restaurant arc made of Australian silky oak.