Papermaking Project To Be Studied By Experts

Chronicle (Levin), 7 May 1948, Page 5

Papermaking Project To Be Studied By Experts

Press Association)

(Per

. DUNEDIN, May 6. In Dunedin today, the Comniissioner of State Forests, Mr. Skinner, said the. Government expeeted by October 1, a '•ritical report b'v the experts on the vstaiilisliment Of a pulping and papermaking project in New Zealand. The Minister said that, in cohtrast with the aorld timber supply position, the fqr,\ard pulp and paper position recently investigated overseas by the Director jf Forestrv, Mr. A. R. Entrican, was ,iOt so encoui'aging as far as export inafkets were concerned. - Unlike timber, pulp ^nd paper carried 110 huge accumulated shortages aud %hat short .iges did exist wojxld probably be eliminaled within threc years. ' ' What is most significant is that North America has such a potential vealth of logg'ing and sawmill waste available from its current operations, tliat any increased production required will he liiucli more cheaply obtained frosn t'here tlian from New Zealand resources," said Mr. Skinner. "Nortli America is expeeted in a few years to bocome independent of tlie enormous supplies of North European pulp whicli it previouslv imported, making a large supply of pulp available for all tlie world markets' including Australia. New Zealand must therefore be most . cautious when contemplating expanding pulp produeing facilities for any eonsiderabfe export during this current period of extremely liigh capital investikent. " He added .that in view of the need for an independent investigation of such a nationally important project, tlie Government had obtained the services of tlie Rust Engineering Company, Pittsburgh, Bennsylvania. This lirm had been ver.y prominent , for many years in designing axid constructing pulp and paper mills in southern United States where the use of pine pulpwood similar to the product from New Zealand 's exotie forests, had given the ' company 's experts the necessary baelcground for their mvestigations in tliis Dominion. Engineering and pulping experts visiting New Zealand had made exhaustive investigation into the physical, teehnieal and engineering problems involved in the whole project. , ' -j .•