RAILWAY "CUT"

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 280, 22 August 1919, Page 6

RAILWAY "CUT"

TIMBER MILLS CLOSE DOWN. As anticipated, tho railway "cut" is having a most; serious effect on the timber industry of the lower half of the North Island. One well-known timber miller, interested in several mills up the Main Trunk line, stated that at tho present time about half the mills in the district had closed down, throwing out of work' several hundreds of men, on whom, in tho majority of instances, families depended. He, personally, was interested directly in four mills—four at Owhahga. and one at Taumarunui—and all were closed dowis, turning adrift about a hundred m(?n. One aspect of. the disruption was that, when si mill closed down, and its hands were thrown out of work, the latter as soon as nossiblo obtained employment in some other industrial sphere, so that when tho mills resumed work it was iirobaMe that difficulties would bo encountered either in not being able to get staffs of men acquainted with the work, or in having to break in raw bands.

MEETING OF SAWMILLERS. l)y Telegraph—Presß Association. Taihapc, August 21. At a meeting of sawmillers on the Main Trunk to-day it was resolved that the millers individually continue cutting where possible, in order to maintain production at the highest point, also lu minimise the unemployment which would otherwise result. Some millers, compelled by circumstances, have already closed down, and others must follow 'unless the restrictions on tho carriage of timber are not removed very shortly.