IS THERE DISCRIMINATION?

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 272, 13 August 1919, Page 6

IS THERE DISCRIMINATION?

—. c WEST COAST TIMBER INDUSTRY FAVOURED. A Wellington resident who has been visiting Greyniouth states that ho is in a complete quandary as to tho present aim of tho Government in connection with the railway "cut," As an instance of what ho means ho states that whilst tlie railways of the North Island have ceased to carry timlxir, and axe jeopardising an enormous industry, the Greymouth railway scrvico is kept extremely busy bringing down millions of feet of red and white pine for shipment to Australia. "I have seen five or six vessels loading timber at the same time lately,'' 6aid our informant, "and only recently found it quite a job to reach tho whan owing to the long lines of trucks loaded high with timber—all for the Commonwealth. This timber is urgently needed in Now Zealand, and should not be .allowed to be axportcd to Australia without somo reciprocal treatment, and not at all as long as it is actually wanted here. Tho couiio. part of it all is that the steamers engaged in this trade uso about 250 tons of coal to take them across to Sydney and 250 tons to bring thorn back, so that for every trip of a boat to Australia with the timber that is urgently needed in New Zealand, somb 500 or JO tons of our coal is used up, and e'o' kept off tho local market. F don't want to see any industry stuck up, but why, discriminate between the timber industry of tho North and South Islands?" .

When this matter was brought under the notice of the Minister of Railways (the Hon. W. H. Herries), he made a short statement in reply. Ho said that the cut had not been made, so severe on the West Coast because there was plenty of coal there always. Timber was carried there, but one of the reasons for this was that, in no ease had the timber to be carried long distances. Thb question of whether the timber ought to bo exported was one for decision by the Forestry Department. Mr. Herries pointed out, however, that ships bringing coal to New Zealand from Ausbvilia might want a back load of cargo, and timber was the only commodity in great bulk from this country to Australia.