IMPORTED TIMBER

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2778, 24 May 1916, Page 6

IMPORTED TIMBER

RAILWAY FREIGHT RATES

PROTEST FROM BUILDIiKS

The old grievance about the extra | rato of 5U per cent, on ireigjit cliarged by the Railway .Department oil imporceil as compared, vitn jocal timber was the subject on which a deputation from the New Zealand Builders and Contractors' Federation, interviewed tile Minister of Railways Itae Hon. \V. H. Homesj yesterday. Mr. W. H. Bennett stated Uiac last year the quantity of timber imported iroin tho Uniteit States was: Oregon, X-15,199; other timbei', J;25,78i. Imported Irom Australia: Logs bewn, ironbark, X' 57,532; jarnah, i:34,5b5!; other timber, .£16,525; logs, round, ironbark, .fci!o,3i)7; palings, split, A'sn3; timber, sawn, n.0.e., lronoark, i;l 1 J,i15; jawah, i£IOS,I7U; other timber, ,£46,163; total, .£379,856. The value of the total imports of timber for I'JU was A' 404,582. l±o_ knew it was claimed that whereas New Zealand timbers approximately gave 450 sup. feet to the ton, tho hardwood only gives 320 sup. feet to tho ton. Those timbers were therefore penalised to the extent of the extra half freight and also with the extra weight,. so that it became very expensive to take any loreign timber from a shipping port into the interior. The Minister: The question does not apply to Oregon pine. ,llr. Bennett replied that Oregon, being a very light timber, gave 700 ft. to the ton. The end of the New Zealand timbei: was practically in sight. Supplies were rapidly coming to an end, and the builders of the Dominion were jetting exceedingly anxious ast to the future. They wanted the timber conserved for the future, and if they could conserve it by helping the importation of foreign timbers they thought they would be following a good policy. They intended f o approach the Minister of Customs respecting import and export duties. They found that timbors they had hitherto used for bridge building and works connected with water or immediate contact with the earth were rapidly decreasing. Totara was fast disappearing, and jarrah and hardwood seemed to be the natural timber for the purpose. The Minister: Is Oregon becoming a necessity? Mr. Bennett: For certain purposes, yes. Tliat was amply set forth in the evidence given before the Afforestation Commission. The Minister: Would it oust our own timber for building purposes? Mr. Bennett: That is the argument used by the eawmillers. If it did oust them a little, it would be a good thing for the Dominion, because the supplies are fast diminishing, and I think the heavy freights from Canada and the United States ought to be sufficient handicap in favour of our own timbers. Mr. W. L. Thompson also spoke on 6imilar lines. The Minister's Reply. Tho Minister, in replying, said the matter had been brought before his notice several times. The hardwood did not compete so directly with our own timber as tne Oregon. Hardwood in many cases was included in Government specifications, but. he had heard very httle in favour of Oregon as compared with our own timber, except that it could be got; in longer lengths. As to the general principle, he thought it could be safely conceded that any protection of native industries should be done. through the Customs and not by the railway, but when the question arose there were objections to bringing in a Customs. Bill, and the method was adopted of putting on the protection by means of a Tailway tariff. He hoped tnat the next time a Customs Bill was brought in the whole question would bo considered. He did not know that he could hold out any hope of any alteration while the war is on. He would like to give 6ome relaxation with regard to hardwood, but in war time they did not want to drop any source of revenue that they could hold on to. Ho was faced with a very big increase in tho wages of the railway servants—a very proper increase. If a Customs Bill was brought in he would put tho matter before Cabinet.