THE TIMBER POSITION

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 23, 22 October 1920, Page 7

THE TIMBER POSITION

0 —. — ~ AN INCREASED OUTPUT AND DECLINE IN EXPORT' BOARD OF TRADE STATEMENT As muck misundeiistanding on the subject of building timber continues among the jjubiic in various lwvts of the Dominion, the chairman of the Board'of Trade (Ma'. W. U. McDonald) has given a brief summary of tho facts. This statement shows that though the supply for the needs of New Zealand is not yet able to meet the abnormal demand, the output has increased appreciably by comparison with the figures of 1917-18 (which exceeded those of 1918-19), the last year of the war's coll on man power. The output of building timber (rimu, kauri, matai, mid totara) for the year ended J] arch SI, 1920, was 200,417,489 superficial feet, as against 158,470,689 for 191718. Thus the increaso for 1919-20 was 55,633,872 feet (41,4 per cent.). "A very (satisfactory aspect of this increase, continued Mr. ll'Donald, "is in the fact that tho proportion of building timber exported for 1919-20 was only 55 per cent, compared with 23 per cent, in 1917-18. During the two years under revieiw the proportion placed >on the local market rose from' 77 per cent, to 94| per cent.

"The details of the increase (55,633,872 feet), pkced on the local market in 191920 are:— , >T?er cent. ofincreaßO Sup. ft. on 1917-18. Rimu 46,607,905 52.5 Kauri 2.683,699 . 13.7 Mata i 5.446,096 44 Totara, 896,172 ' 6.6 "The figures for tho building timbers, rimu. kauri, matai, and totara, for tho year 1919-20 arc shown in the following table Placed Output. on N.Z. >Snper. feet. Export, market. Bimu .....345,584,203 10,101,000 135,483,203 Kauri' 22.698,391 362,000 22,236,391 Matai 17,820,597 Nil. 17,820,597 Totara ... 14,414,298 Nil. 14.414,298 Total ... 200 '17,489 10,463,000 189,954,487 "The export was only 7 per cent, of the rimu output, and 1.6 of the kauri (making only 5.3 per cent, of the whole output of rimu, kauri, matai, and totara). "The following table shows how the export of building timber has declined since 1917-18. Percentage of Output Exported. Year Year 1917-18.- 1919-20. Bimu '• •••• 23-7 7 Kauri J4.8 • 11.6 Matai :• S8 Nil • Totara 0-4 ■ 'Ml Percentage of Output Placed on N.Z. Market. 1917-18. 1919-20. Rimu 76.3 S3 Kauri 65.2 . 90.4 Matai •' 56-2 100 Totara 99*(i. 100 "T.h'e output of various kinds of sawn timber for the year ended March 31, 1920, was 296,165,080 super, feet, comprising—White pine, 82,419,821 ;■ rimu, 145,584,203; kauri, 22,598,391;. matai, 17,820,593; totara, 14,414,298; beech, 9,650,344; liinau, 4247; taraere, 174,650; taneUha, 54,328; pukatea, 200,000; pinus insignis, 3,061,201; bluegum, 80,000; kawliaka, 50,000; silver pine, 50,000. "The reduction in exports of building timber," Mr. MDonald remarked, "lias been effected in accordance with tho regulations winch came into force in August, 1918, under, .the administration of* the Hon. Sir Francis Bell. (Commissioner of State Forests), but Uie figures show that tho reduction- has been much below the proportion which millers would have been entitled to export. If this export had gone to the permissible limit, the figures for 1919-20 would have been 27 million feet .of rimu and millions of kauri. Thus the policy inaugurated by Sir Francis Bell in relation to New Zealand building'timber for U6e in the Dominion has been entirely successful.

"Even if the very limited export of building timber were stopped," Mr.' M'Donald explained, "Hid quantity available for use'in New Zealand would not be increased. Not sufficient coastal shipping would be available to lift all the timber produced at some mills for use in the Dominion. If a certain measure of export to Australia did not lielp to clear, the skids they would become congested,! and milling operations would be checked, with the result that a number of men would be thrown out of employment. While thev lost their wages, New. Zenland woul<l not have any additional supplies of building timber for use here. "The Board of Trade," concluded the chairman, "is continuing to take every possible cn.ro to ensure that building timber will be utilised for cssontial purposes only throughout the Dominion by the operation of tho building regulations.Here and tlwre, people, may become a littlo impatient, naturally, but it has to bo remembered that the position is abnormal. Until the country overtakes tho arrears oauscd by the years of war and tbe new demnlid for essential buildings recinirod by many returned soldiers, there will be difficulties but the figures quoted show that rolicf to the community as a whole must come within a measurable future if the increase rate of production is maintained."