MINISTER EXPLAINS TIMBER POSITION

Chronicle (Levin), 12 July 1946, Page 5

MINISTER EXPLAINS TIMBER POSITION

—Press Association

By Telegraph-

WELLTX GTOX, July 11. It was intpossible to increase the allocation of timher to an\ zone unless at the expense of others, said Ihe Gommis sioner of Rtate Forests, Major C. F. Skiuneiy tonight, wlien appealing for better puhlic appreciation of the tifliber supply position. The aecumulated arrears of the six wartime years, together with the nornial current demand, placed on ihe timher industry a hurden considerably heavier than before the war, said the Minister. The Defence construction programnte had Yirtually emptied timher vards and with no reserves wliatever to flll day to day demands, delays were inevitable. This did not mean less timher coming into any particular district than before the war. Deliveries were much the same as prewar hut hecause of the greatly increased deinand and laclc of stoeks, there was still a serious shortage until production could be increased. This could not be done overnight and although all necessary steps were receiving urgent attentiou, suhstantial results could not be expected for another year. Referring to a recent statenient in Auckland tliat this zone had used four million hoard feet nionthly prewar for building, Major Skinner said figures could he quoted to prove this had not been so. Calculated on building permits issued, Auckland 's total timher requirements for new construction immediately prior to the war were scarcely two million board feet per inontli. Moreover, annual statistics puhlished by the New Zealund railways showed' that in 1939/40 the total quantity of timber railed into the Auckland urban area was 52,000,000 hoard feet while the 1945/46 flgure showed a total of 64,000,000 hoard feet. When deductious were made for pulpwood and peel--er logs, these 1945/46 figures showed an inward sawn timher tratlic amounting to 50,000,000 hoard feet. This was cTe-' finite evidence that the inflow of timher into Auckland for all purposes during the past year, was almost the same as in 1939/40, maldng it safe to assume builders were receiving much the same quantity as in 1939. The Minister concluded hy saying that although shortages were unavoi-d-ahle for next year, a forward survey showed that a deeided* improvement i-n Mew Zealand 's timher supplies could he expected I'or tiie year 1947/48.