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(9.) Its Price when sold by the Importer , to (a) the Consumer, (b) the Middleman, and (c) the Retailer. Auckland Selling-price. — (a.) Retail price in small lots (under 20,000 ft.), 175., less 10 per cent, discount-15s. 3d. net per 100 sup. ft. In lots of 20,000 ft. and over 14s. net. On long lengths over 32 ft. a further average charge of 3d. per 100 sup. ft. is made for every additional foot in length. The following extra costs are entailed before selling : Rehandling, resawing, loss in conversion, loss in measuring out, Is. 3d. per 100 sup. ft. on large lots; Is. 9d. per 100 sup. ft. on small lots. Together with interest, rents, rates, taxes, insurance, and management, say, an average of 6d. per 100 sup. ft. But no allowance has been made for " bad debts." (b) and (c). Same as above, except that an additional discount of 10 per cent, is allowed. Wellington Selling-price. —The following prices were fixed by the Wellington Timber-merchants' Association in April, 1908, but at the present time merchants are selling independently at lower rates : — Per 100 sup. ft. £ s. d. Building, sawn ... ... 0 17 6 Building, i in. out of 1 in. ... 011 0 o , . , • Selected sawn 10 0 to f * dls " To 12 in. by 1 in., dressed ... 1 1 6 count of per Rustic, and T. and G. ... 1 1 6 cent - lin T. and G., and B. or V ... 0 18 0 These prices are for lengths up to and including 24 ft., as it rises from the stack; resawing extra. Oregon over 24 ft. long and under 33 ft. to be charged 3d. per foot per 100 ft. extra; and lengths over 32ft. and under 41 ft., 6d. per foot per 100 ft. extra; over 40 ft. by special arrangement. " And generally any Matters which in your Opinion injuriously affect the Timber and Timber-building Industries, or would tend to promote their development, including the necessity or exPEDIENCY of any Legislation in the Premises." New Zealand Timbers. Although it is generally recognised that we have a great variety of trees growing in the forests of the Dominion, it is not widely known that no less than eighty-six different species are stated to exist. Included, however, in this list are, in some cases, more than one variety of the same tree, so that it is perhaps more accurate to state that about eighty different trees grow in our forests. Many of them are suitable for commercial utilisation, but, although attempts have been made from time to time to disseminate a wide knowledge of their properties and possible uses, it is to be regretted that at the present time the majority of our timbers are not made use of, but are permitted to be destroyed either in the course of settlement, or through accidental fires. The chief varieties of our milling-trees are as follow : — Kauri, which grows in the Auckland District only. This is our finest timber, combining strength with durability, and being easy to work. It is used primarily for building purposes, and for shingles, weatherboards, lining, joists, studs, doors, sashes, bridge-decking, ship and boat building, carriage-building, furniture-making, mining purposes, and almost any purpose needed in the building or timber trades. Totara, once so prevalent, has been milled to such an extent in the past that the present supplies are very limited, and are chiefly to be found in the Auckland and Wellington Districts, although certain quantities remain in the Hawke's Bay and Westland Districts. It is an exceedingly durable timber, superior even to kauri, and is largely used for house-blocks, verandah-posts, sleepers, fencing, wharf-piles, bridge-building, window and door frames, tele-graph-poles, &c, whilst the mottled variety is much in request for ornamental furniture.

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