TIMBER TRADE.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20096, 27 November 1930, Page 4

TIMBER TRADE.

NORTH ISLAND MILLS. j A TIME ok DEPRESSION. ! 1i 10 e.;onou.w .•.ikhvuo:. us li, the timber industry v. a.s Oiscusscd a,t a, . faceting of members of the Sawmiller*' ; Timber Trading Company, Limits, at ; Hamilton last voeh. I or:.y rotUs v.-ora f represented. J In n. stateT.tcn: iwuicii t»,v tiju com- ; ~n ny it v.-as mentioned that tor wmo j tirnp timber sales had shoAu a bieadj j decline ami had now reached the point where dr.is tie arisen iviu, absolutely necessary w control the situation by reducing the output ;uid the j For manv months the output oi t.im- i Lc,- had lii-en largely in excess of the j s.'Jes At the same time an effort wa? ; being; made to reduce the cost ol pro- j linetien bv lowerin;.; (he wages and sal- ; cries of everyone engaged in the in- | diwirv, those who were already I reeeivin" the minimum award rates, "it vn'e's further stated that seme of } the mill* had closed altogether, other.? ; were working only two or threo days ! week, and' some had reduced to a j minimum the number of men required. . On.- mill in the H-otorua district, had j-,vj t,, dispense v. it!) the services of j 'lt men during the past few weeks, ; and another ip. the Country had now Ml few or men on the pay-sheet than it had a month s<3o. Spreading the Burden. 'I he lov. r-.-t rate of i'To.se 'who came i; uder the Timber Workers' Award was j for a day of eight, hours. The amount, ear;icd by employees varied fronj .'iO-s i.-> 1." a w..<!k, according to | the number of da>.< worked each week, j It. was fully recognised by all en- | in the timb.-r business that the j industry trust 1.-car ilf- .-hare of the s burdf not the general depression, and i ti!n smvmilli'rs were doing their utmost . io spread the burden in as equitable a i mt'iincr ■ j-ossible, by ri'ducinp the selhe;- prices ,»» we!) n- the cost. cl production. 'l'll.- foiluwins resolution:.- v. ere passed by the meeting: - I '"That in view of the present: limited | demand for timber, it be a reeomI mediation to members rri reduce their production t, ( at least -JO per cent, of their .-ISSOSS men (. ei: her V«y further ! reducing •t he vorking hours ]>er week or by some other means so as not to | exceed 40 per cent, of the a--c-sied eutj tins capacity. j "That in vir.v uT the reecn:, re !i;c- ---: tion in prices it be ,i roromreend at ion vo members that as far :t* is practicable isnges should not exceed the rates tixed bv tbo award, ;n:d. limher. thiU the. wages "f the weekly men he reduced I proportionate!.'.-; the salaries of direcj tors, manr. ger.s, and other members of I tl'r- staff r.lso to be , proportionately I redueef!."'