HUGE STATE PROJECT

Chronicle (Levin), 8 October 1949, Page 5

HUGE STATE PROJECT

Press Association)

Pulp Paper Mill May Cost £25,000,000

(Per .

WELLINGTON, October 7. During the debate on the Forestry Department Estimates in the House this afternoon, Mr C. H. Mackley (Nat., Wairarapa) said the Minister liad promised some weeks* ago to report tb the House on the Murupara pulp and paper project which, according' to some reports, might cost finally as much as £25,000,000. There was a prelimihary vote of £161,000 on the Estimates this year, and the House should have details.' , "1 think in principle it is a correct move to establish this new industry, '; but we should not he asked . to . vote money without more detail," said Mr Mackley. _ v;:;' Mr Skinner said for the past ' two years there had been a small vote on the Estimates for preliminary work in connection with the Murupara project. The vote was bigger this year because of the need for a full investigation and report as members of the Opposition had_ already stressed. The vote ot £161-, 000 included £25,000 for a 24-hour test "of New Zeaiand exotic timber to be made- at Lufkin in Texas where therq was the only mill in the -world successfully manufacturing newsprint from insignis pine. The timber for this test— -230 cords — was now ready for shipment. There was also £10,000 for a pulping test to be earried out in Australia for which the timber had already been shipped and £15,000 for reports from various consulting engineers who had been invited to examine the Murupara project. The vote also included £110,000 for housing, roading and other preliminary works at Murupara. Mr Skinner said the undertaking was a vast one and the cost might rise as high as the £25,000,000. suggested by Mr Mackley. Water tests had to be made to see that the water supply was adequate and of the right quality, Detailed reports would be made available to the House as soon as possible, but they were not yet in the form in which they could be presented. As yet the Government had approved the project in principle only, and not in detail. The project -invoived huilding a railway from Edgecumbe to Murupara and developing a modern port ,on the East Coast. The construction of the works would take a number of years and the whole undertaking must he thought out very carefully before detailed reports were released, "We cannot go off with a half-baked plan," said the Minister. Much had been said about Murupara by people not in authority, and much of it had been

very ill-informed. He hoped more detailed information would be made available shortly. He had hoped to have it ready earlier. The report on the eonferenee he had attended in Canada on the pulp and paper industry was now being printed and should be tabled in a few days. That report made reference to Murupara, but it would be some time yet before full details could be given of what was one of the biggest undertakings in New Zeaiand 's history. Mr C. M. Bowd.en said New Zeaiand was at the inception of a very great industry based on exotic timber production which would take its place with the great pastoral industries.5 It was right that the State undertaking should proeeed and many million pounds would be required to bring the project to the commercial stage, but the House would be entitled to the fullest details when the time was ripe. Mr Skinner: That will be done. The vote was_ passed.