THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 697, 23 December 1909, Page 10

THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

. POSITION AT NOETHEENWAIEOA. (llj -Yeleeraiib.—Special' OorrejDoniloat.l. V :..: Dargavillo, December 21. Tho timber industry has' been one of" tho great mainstays of Wairoa, and its decreasing output provides another argument for afforestation. Hesidents here have become so accustomed to tho,enormous amount of timber being exported from Kaipara year after year that few .people realise the.rapid rato at .which we are approaching tho end of this great source of. wealtli in our .midst. Tho kauri bushes have experienced'"* such heavy onslaughts' that tho balance would scarcely keep all mills constantly and exclusively at work on this class of timber tor moro than , 18 months.V Kahikatea, rimii, and ' totara are still to : bo found in largo; quantities, but''the. big demand; by* many'.milig now, cutting is quickly reducing the timber left,'.as tho following l figures'will sliow:—' -. ', . ; , ' . ".. Approximate kauri (exclusive , of Houaki. forest), standing on Northern Wniroa, and its tributaries,, 100,000,000 ieet. . * ■ : | Kahikatea, riuiu, aud totara, Btandine, 420,01)0,000.1eet.-. ■ * . ; ■;. . Logs in creeks, and booms (all classes), 60,000,000 feet. Total, 580,000,000; feet. ■'" " .: . The full cutting capacity of mills on the Wairoa being 78,000,000 ieet, the quantity could bo disposed of in seven .and a half years. Of course tho. delivery, of most of this timber being dependent on freshes, irregular" seasons would affect the butput, aud : causo the mills ht certain times to reduce, or suspend operations. This would extend the lifo of- the industry, but at the decreased '.rato pj. activity, should the market value of kahikatea, riinu, and totara increase to any extent, then a further quantity, of this class of timber than ;that included ih"'tho above' estimate " would ,™e within paying, rato to work. > The im-' ■portanco^of tho timber., industry is- brought forcibly before us when it is considered' that considerably over .£IOO,OOO per , annum is paid away by the mills in wages' to millhnnds, busnmen, and rafters, and for stores, royalty, etc. ihe above are a few facts- for earnest consideration, and it is urged that an endeavour should be made to induce the Government to go in for afforestation > in Kaipara, so that there will always be timber growing. ' .Considerable dissatisfaction was expressed on iNorthern Wairoa when it became known that no provision had been made on the Estimates for the extension of Kaihu Eailway to Waiina K e « £sp,s p ,\ tu . re on wWch is estimated at about ilo,ooo. -Before last election, Mr. J. Stallworthy, M.P.-.V stated that Sir Joseph Ward had promised the extension desired. A meetine of- tho Eailway League is to bo held to-morrow to discuss the question. .'" ■