THE COLONY’S TIMBER SUPPLY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2075, 9 May 1907, Page 1

THE COLONY’S TIMBER SUPPLY.

MORE EXPORT DUTY WANTED. A deputation of Auckland builders waited on the Minister for Lands on May Ist, and urged the necessity jFor either removing the import duty or augmenting the export duty on timber so as to rolieve the existing difficulty of getting orders supplied and to keep the cost of building within reasonable limits. Mr. Davis said that the mills were exporting largo quantities of timber, while local orders had frequently to stand over. A recent paragraph in the Press had stated that arrangements had been made for 8,000,000 feet of sawn timber from Kaipara for export purposes. With 100,000 feet of timber three good-sized houses could bo erected, so this export 0f'J3,000, 000 feet represented about 240 houses of eight or nine rooms. In April 3,052,000 feet of kauri timber were sent away from Auckland, and during 1905 64,869,000 feet were exported. Canada could supply large quantities of suitable timber, which could bo used in New Zealand if the duty of 2s per hundred feet was removed.

Local timber was steadily rising in value, and it would be an increasing difficulty to working men desirous of building as well as those actively engaged in the trade. Ho «ould not see that the sawmilling industry would bo affected by either removing tho present import duty or by increasing the export duty.

Messrs. Grandison and Clarke both urged the necessity for Government action being taken for the alleviation of the difficulty. Mr. Clarke stated that tho people in the colony wero paying more for their timber than would be the ease if a number of people had not put their heads together and wore now reaping largo benefits.

; The Minister, in the course of bis reply, said that tho request would bo placed by him before his colleagues. He personally favored people getting their houses as cheaply as possible, and it was not wise to increase tho price of any such article as timber, which entered so largely into tho woi'k of tho ‘community. It was apparent that while the mills ran in the way they had been represented by the deputation, a reduction of duty would not affect the wages of a great mass of men employed in tile industry, but it might result in companies being able to supply the timber at a cheaper rate than existed at present. Careful consideration was necessary before difficulties were placed in the way of exporting timber,, by increasing tho export duty. When the tariff was under revision he promised to see if anything could be done in the direction suggested Inti i e deputation. # SPEECH BY VICE-ADMIRAL FAWKES. In the course of his reply to the toast of the“ Army and Navy” at the farewell mayoral banquet at Christchurch, Vice-Admiral Sir Wiirnot Fawkes said there would be a great deal of talk during the next few weeks in London about the Empire, and one of the great questions to be discussed would be the defence of the Empire. Defence was a very good word to use in some respects, for defence preserved the interests of the Empire, the greatness of which was peace ;poace to develop tho great countries which the nation possessed all over the world, peace to rear their flocks and herds, peace to develop their agriculture, peace to get out their minerals, all that coal which his captains were always appealing to him to get, that from Westport. (Hear,’ hear, and applause.) It was very well to try and defend all those interests, and he believed the best way to defend them was to keep up a strong navy. (Hear, hear, and applause.) It was said a great many years ago that it •was hotter to arm and not to fight than not to arm and be sure to fight. If that peace which they hoped might long continue could not he preserved, defence was a word that they had not to think about at all. Offence was the word they then had to' think about. (Hear, hear.) The groat principle of defence was concentration, and there had been seen in the last few years a tremendous concentration in European waters. Taking the European nations alone lie believed there was a smaller torce east of the Suez Canal and the Cape of Good Hope than there had been for many a long year, There would soon bo five British armoured squadrons in European waters, and any attacking force would probably he brought to action before they could get to Suez or tho Capo, and if they wero not caught before they got there they would certainly bo followed- He thought that the best dofenco England could provide for the Australian colonies. At the same time lie thought it was right there should be a force in tho Eastern seas ready to meet any ships of the ouemy, for tho sooner the British cruisers came up to the enemy s cruisers when war began tho sooner they would bring them to action. (Hear, hear.) Ho thought that in supporting a navy, oven if the major part of it was at Home, the people were doing right.