H.—44.

TIMBER. The production of the main varieties of timber in the Dominion for the past nine years (ending at 31st March) is given in the following table : —

The above statistics show that the production of timber decreased by approximately 53,000,000 superficial feet during the 1930-31 period, a decline of 18-8 per cent. The number of sawmillers engaged in the production of rough-sawn timber shows an increase of 9, the relative figures being 305 in 1930 and 314 in 1931. Employment figures show a substantial decrease in the number of workers engaged in sawmills, and for comparative purposes the following figures are submitted : 1927-28, 6,405 ; 1928-29, 6,264 ; 1929-30, 6,504 ; 1930-31, 5,612. The export trade for the year under review showed a substantial reduction of 9,373,318 ft. in quantity and £128,221 in value compared with that of 1930. The relative figures show the position as follows : 1929—Quantity, 39,098,568 ft. ; value, £439,299. 1930—Quantity, 26,726,318 ft. ; value, £301,131. 1931—Quantity, 17,353,000; value, £172,910. Six months ended 30th June, 1932 — Quantity, 13,427,000 ft. ; value, £127,650. The figures for the six months ended 30th June, 1932, indicate that the yearly figures for the current year will show a substantial increase on the figures of 1931. This increase is due mainly to a revival of the timber-export trade with Australia, which is shown when the export figures for the six months ended 30th June, 1931, are compared with the same period of this year. The relative statistics are : — Quantity. Value. Six months ended — Sup. ft. £ 30th June, 1931 .. .. .. 6,304,320 65,214 30th June, 1932 .. .. .. 12,908,586 120,815 6,604,266 £55,601 Percentage of increase . . .. 105 85 All classes of timber show an.increase in quantity exported to this market, white-pine showing the greatest increase, by 5,885,579 sup. ft. The following table shows in thousands of superficial feet the quantities of imported timber that directly competes with New Zealand native timber :—

It will be seen that imports in 1931 fell to approximately one-fourth of the total shown for 1930. It was reported last year that the requirements of the 1931-32 season for export-fruit cases would be supplied to a large extent from local sources, replacing the quantity previously imported.

15

Total. Kauri. Rimu. White-pine. Matai. Totara. Others. ' Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. Sup. ft. 1923 .. ! 304,351,877 22,460,759 155,627,936 66,088,219 23,747,049 20,843,718 15,584,196 1924 .. 317,069,216 19,743,196 181,093,581 56,699.443 24,326,148 18,904,361 16,302,487 1925 .. 344,094,874 22,891,535 195,572,705 65,572,439 23,94-7,707 18,509,551 17,600,937 1926 .. 353,224,196 22,765,877 195,451,758 75,634,869 26,141,027 14,109,576 19,121,089 1927 .. 305,675,258 18,474,981 170,498,282 65,490,059 19,380,469 14,179,462 17,652,005 1928 .. 269,783,000 15,874,000 156,314,000 53,736,000 15,207,000 15,728,000 17,924,000 1929 .. 270,214,420 10,742,967 156,239,992 56,790,306 15,752,744 8,610,639 22.077,772 1930 .. 282,405,173 10,471,297 163,293,288 58,505,364 17,972,243 9,046,159 23,116,822 1931 .. 229,468,022 8,943,480 124,998,825 49,009,109 13,917,187 9,467,697 23,131,724

1928. 1929. I 1930. 1931. I 1932 - > (hix months). (1,000ft.) (1,000ft.) (1,000ft.) (1,000ft.) (1,000 ft.) Cedar .. .. 2,066 1,336 637 52 7 Oregon .. .. 16,713 16,188 12,807 2,950 604 Hemlock.. .. 4,903 4,108 6,142 662 2 Redwood .. 7,478 11,678 9,345 1,028 113 Butter-box shooks 2,006 3,147 4,691 2,879 447 Cheese-crate shooks 785 1,373 1,774 732 i 166 Total ... 33,951 37,830 35,396 8,303 1,339