BAY OF PLENTY BEACON Published Tuesdays and Fridays. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1948 NEWSPRINT PRODUCTION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 24, 24 February 1948, Page 4

BAY OF PLENTY BEACON Published Tuesdays and Fridays. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1948 NEWSPRINT PRODUCTION

This week New Zealand’s Minister of Works and Railways, Mr Semple, will discuss closer trade relations between the Dominion and Australia with the Australian Prime Minister, Mr Chifley. New Zealand assistant trade commissioner, Mr P. B. Marshall will also attend.

Though no definite decisions are expected to be made until Mr Nash gets back from Havana, it :is understood that, the Australian Government has suggested the production-of newsprint in this country, which makes thus week’s conference of vital interest to the Bay of Plenty and to Whakatane in particular. A press report on the subject says the aim is to have enough newsprint produced here and in Tasmania to make Australia almost independent of dollar sources. The tentative proposals, on which preliminary discussions were inaugurated by Mr Chifley when he was here recently, provide for manufacture by both private and Government enterprises. No doubt there is scope here for such an industry, and it is one particularly suited to this country and to this part of it. New Zealand is traditionally a primary-producing country, and the production, milling and pulping of timber can be regarded as a primary industry with tremendous potentialities. With the railway from Murupara to Edgecumbe at present under survey to bring timber and pulpwood out from Kaingaroa, and with the Paper Mills line tapping extensive plantations, this town or its immediate vicinity would appear to be the logical place for private enterprise to look if contemplating the establishment of newsprint mills. Just to what extent Whakatane itself is .interesting the Government as a possible milling site is not clear yet, though it has been persistently rumoured that the Murupara projects include a newsprint mill. However, that has not been authoritatively stiated lately, though pulping has been mentioned in official circles.

At any rate, as the first town on the delivery line from Murupara, Whakatane must benefit from any developments such as those suggested. Just how much it will benefit will probably de j pend to some extent upon the vigilance of local organisations.

As a result of last week’s Naval blasting operations, the harbour here should be considerably improved. When considering access for timber products those responsible might be disposed to take that fact into consideration. The proposition to consider would ‘be whether, at less cost than would be involved in years of long, overland haulage, this harbour could be developed to the point where it could handle the trade. Some l®cal citizens think it could, and they may be right. Certainly it would do no harm to insist upon the possibilities being investigated. From the local angle it would appear, then, that considerable benefit will accrue from the establishment of the newsprint industry on any substantial scale. Nationally, such a move would be generally welcomed, particularly if a proportion of the newsprint produced were allowed to be used by newspapers in the Dominion. Right now our newsprint position in this country is decidedly grim, and any move that would alleviate it would be hailed with joy. Quite apart from that, the Australian suggestion that New Zealand could produce and exchange newsprint for urgently needed building materials is timely and sensible. Housing is our greatest need just now, and shortage of essential materials one of the worst bottlenecks.