TIMBER INDUSTRY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 227, 7 September 1933, Page 7

TIMBER INDUSTRY

IMPORTS AND EXPORTS. MINISTER’S REVIEW. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 7. Reviewing the timber imports and exports for the seven months ended July 31, the Commissioner of State Forests, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, said that a slight increase in imports had occurred but the figures were still only 12 per cent, of those for the average seven months period totals during 192830. The exports of 15,000,000 board feet for both the 1933 and 1932 periods compared with approximately 20,000,000 board feet for 1928-30. The favourable trade balances for the 1933 and 1932 periods were respectively 11,000,000 and 11,500,000 feet, compared with an average adverse balance of 13,000,000 board feet for the corresponding periods of 1928-30. Butter boxes are the second largest import item, the figures in 1933 showing an increase of 200,000 board feet over 1932, but the annual importation of boxes is still only about 10 per cent, of the total butter boxes used. The timber imported previously for fruit cases and cheese crates was replaced almost entirely last export season by Insignis Pine, Silver Beech and Kahikatea grown in New Zealand, but the exchange movements between Canada, Britain and New Zealand at present were in favour of increased imports for the next export season.