The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1884 Creosoted White Pine.

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 64, 8 November 1884, Page 2

The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1884 Creosoted White Pine.

The Minister of Public Works has said that in regard to establishing or subsidising creosoting works in suitable localities, in order to utilize the timber of the colony for railway elcopers, it was intended to call for tenders for creosoted sleepers, and that the Government lias no intention in the future to use timber grown in other colonies for sleepers. As white pine, after having been submitted to this process, would be as well suited for sleepers or even bridge work as the best heart of totara, we may now confidently expect that tho millions of , feet in our forests, which have hitherjto been locked upon as corapaiativelyv alucless, vail be utilized and made a source of income. The works j necessary for submitting timber or | sleepers to the action of tho creosote would cost about £2,000. It will, therefore, be necessary for any tenders made by the Government to be for such largo quantities as would justify this expense on the part of intending contractors. There exists a reasonable doubt that after experimenting on the wood, the grain of white pine m-iy be found to lie too close to permit ihe creosote to permeate to the heart of each sleeper. But assuming the thing to have every hope of success, the number of sleepers which could be supplied from the mills now at workon this section of tho forest land of the colony, is almost without limit. For the year ended Slst March last 121,053 sleepers were relaid and 125,G82 removed, which equals cay 250,000 sleepers, or about a million feet of timber, expended, or we may say wastt-.d, which, under the process of creosotin", would have been in a greut measure saved to the colony. If we add the new lines which arc about to be constructed, and consider the saving which will be effected by the new mode, the economical benefits derivable promise to be very considerable. The average export of timber from the Feilding station was for five or six years about six million feet per annum, consisting mainly of totara. It has fallen considerably below that during the past two years owing to circumstances already well understood. If a market is found for the white pine tbis average will again be reached aud probably exceeded. This would mean prosperity to the sawmillers, and, as a natural consequence, prosperity to the whole of the residents in the district, who have been in the past indebted so much to the timber industry as a direct and indirect means of livelihood. While on this subject we may remind our readers of the ' fact that some years ago, when, during an election contest, Mr Snelson, of Palmerston, advocated this mode of making white pine almost indestructible, and pointed out how much the whole district would be benefitted by its adoption, he was treated with contempt and his project ridiculed. It must now be a satisfaction to that gentleman to sco that what he then suggested has since come to pass. That another claims the honor of bringing his prophecy about is merely in the natural order of things, and Mr Snelson will, we have no doubt, bear it with philosophical indifference and join with us in mutual congratulations that so dosirable a consummation should have at length arrived.