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Hokitika Guardian, 11 April 1921, Page 2

Slowly but nevertheless surely public opinion is shaping itsell in regard to the new and costly order of administration affecting the timber industry. When the very expensive Forestry Dej partment began to find its feet, and 1 * some idea could be gleaned of the costly form of management which was going to be created, it was manifest at once that the public who are crying I out for more timber all over the Dominion were going to be penalised by extra costs to procure the commodity. Jt is manifest that this very highly officered Department is not going to he passive. It has got to’justify its existence, and so it must do things. Regulations galore are going to emanate from this new creation, then restrictions. A ease oi the kind has arisen in Dunedin where a protest is be ing raised against the regulations pro- | posing to license 1 timber merchants! A timber merchant in the canny southern city naively remarks that regulations of the character referred to are evii dentlv intended to keep somebody in a Government job. This sounds bluntly near the truth. The comment from Dunedin concludes with the remaik that it will he interesting to see what and who will come under red tape ( next. The Department is going to add greatly to the cost of production of ■ timber- Of t'hnt there seems little ques, | ion. Millers and public (to whom the I cost will If* pflftsed, on) must prepare

for the inevitable. This at a time when there is a call for economy, not to say retrenchment in the public service. Already millers are feeling the punch of the slackening tade and in some cases staffs are being reduced. If prices nro forced up now, and owing to the tightness of money, enterprise is restricted, building requirements will decline and intensify the effect of the slump. The workmen and the miller will be the- first to pass through the i contracting conditions, and their experience resulting in lessened trade and output will he felt all through the community. This is not a. time for restricted trading, and the Government purporting to have its linger on the pulse of the money market should know this. This country is oil the eve of a period when the fullest license should be given to encourage trade and industry, and not restrict these avenues of wealth production by actions calculated to make commodities dearer and more difficult to procure. .Millers are not so fortunately circumstanced as the primary producer who have the Government at their behest and with influence enough to dictate the national policy affecting the disposal of their commodities. But millers are essential vendors of a very necessary commodity in the production ot which there is a large, field for employment, and if throughout the Dominion those realising the position and the drift of affairs under the Forestry Department would speak out as the Dunedinite is concerned, public opinion would take such shape as would compel the Government to give intelligent attention to a question of very vital importance to the country’s welfare. The voice from Dunedin may be considered at least some, tangible evidence of the drift of public opinion, and to that extent the incident is reassuring. It is to he hoped folk in other centres will he no less candid in their comment.