TAWA TIMBER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 28, 3 December 1948, Page 4

TAWA TIMBER

(To the Editor) • Sir,—ln answer to Mr B. Walsh, Manager, Tawa Sawmillers Marketing Association (Inc.) I must say that I still, maintain that the Whakatane Borough Council did a good job when it prohibited the use of Tawa timber within the Borough. Now, Sir, those wise councillors surely take a pride in their town, and protect the public themselves by wishing to see any buildings permitted stay put and last some considerable time.

As for myself, if passing on my knowledge and experience to others (who may care to use it if they sowish) is being enthusiastically condemnatory rather than thoughtful, then I must plead guilty. My friend has, I am afraid, made out an extremely poor case in favour of Tawa timber. He tries to make a favourable comparison with other timbers which is ridiculous. He quotes kauri. Now, I do, not profess to know much about Kauri, but I have always been led to believe that Kauri is our most valued timber. Some of the first houses built of Kauri around about Auckland are still there and are as sound as a bell, and I wonder what they are blocked upon? Kauri is used extensively for -posts up north, and yet my friend says that for house blocks and posts, Kauri has an “extremely short life.’”

I have never heard of Tawa being used for those purposes. Mr Walsh mentions Rimu and Matai as being borer-prone. Quite right, but beside the point. The main issue is the lasting quality of Tawa. • Rimu sap will last, just as it comes off the saw in. weather boards etc. on - weather side, for many years even if cut in spring or summer, and ever so much longer winter cut. I will admit that it is not so with sap matai. However Mr Wal3h must surely know that in comparison with rimu, matai -forms a very small proportion of our native forests. Then again it has a very small. proportion of sap, so much so that in the cut of a log very few boards etc. would be all sap. Furthermore matai does not come on to the market usually to the general public .in job lines. There is no heart in tawa; it is considered an all sap timber. The main point in my letter of October 20 (which Mr Walsh completely lost sight of), was to warn my farmer neighbours and others against buying timber that for their general needs is entirely unsUited and, despite what Mr Walsh may say abont “protective marketing, that the timber be used on' work for which it is suited,” tawa is coming on to the market to who-so-ever will buy, and for whatever purpose. Thanking you Sir for allowing me this space. Yours etc., T. H. DOBSON, Rural Delivery, Whakatane.