TIMBER AND HOUSES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 212, 2 June 1920, Page 7

TIMBER AND HOUSES

DISCUSSION BY RETURNED SOLDIERS

QUESTION OF EXPORTATION

Questions affecting the shortage of houses were discussed at yesterday's sesi sion of the conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, when the Auckland branch submitted a remit to the effect that in the opinion of the conference tho present shortage, of house property, the excessive prices thereof, and the slackness of building operations were largely the direct result of the wholesale exportation of building timber by most of the large timber corporations throughout New Zealand. Tho remit suggested that the Government bo urged to Biop such exportation and commandeer all available building material for tho erection of homes. Jfr. J. D. Harper (Wellington) stated that he knew something about the timber business. The mills on the West Coast had 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 feet of timber on tho skids for shipment to New Zealand- ports, but they could not get space to remove tho timber. Unless that timber was removed, then the mills would have to close down. It was not altogether tho fault of the miller that then was a shortage of timber for building purposes in New Zealand. During the war period tho building of homes was practically at a standstill, and this shortago had to bo caught up. His own company had over a quarter of a. million feet awaiting shipment to the Wellington wharves in the last six weeks, space had been allotted at Grcymouth, and then, at tlie last moment, tho space had to bo reserved for coal, the difficulties in respect to which were real. Recently, tho West Const millers had 3,000,000 ft. of timber for export to Australia, but they had offered to 6hip it to New Zealand ports if space could be found for it. Tho space, however, could not bo found. A good deal of the timber that was being shipped to Australia was net fit to build houses with. Tho remit was rather unfair to the sawmillers, for it blamed thorn for the timber shortage. The point was that the timber was there—as far as Greymouth was concerned the millers were anxious to movo it. Ho submitted that it was not a matter of restricting the export of timber—it was a question of getting space in ships. Anothor thing that had to be remembered was that many sawmill and bush workers had not resumed their former occupations after returning from the war, and a good many inexperienced men had been taken on in their stead. This had had a serious effect on the output of the timber. Over and over again tho timber interests had been promised more shipping space, but they could not get it in the end. Mr. D. M'Burney (Te Awamutu) con. sidered that there was a timber monbp. oly at'work in the country. Jtr. E. F. Andrews (Bay of Plenty) said that sawmills in the Auckland district absolutely refused to take on newclients. He had been informed that last year 9,000,000 ft. of first-class limber was exported to Australia. Numbers of rtturned soldiers wanted second-class timber for the erection of their farm buildings, and it was evident that while there was any sort of shortage the export of timber should be prohibited. Mr. N. A. Ching (Waikatc) stud the economic aspect of tho matter had to; be considered. They had to remember that if the export of timber fio Australia were stopped, it might be impossible to obtain supplies of jnrrah in return, and then the construction of many works, such as railway bridges, would bo held up in the Dominion. The wmit was carried.