TIMBER PRICES.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 December 1921, Page 4

TIMBER PRICES.

higher duties refused

j MILLERS AND CONSUMERS

; THE COST OT HUILDING

J * WELLINGTON, Dec. 7. I On the timber items in the larilf • schedules the House of Representatives I last night discussed proposals for high's er duties. These did not meet with j favour, the opposition mainly coming • front members who considered the cost |of building was already (quite high ! enough. i Facts in connection with the timber ; industry as already published were set \ , m t by’ Mr T. E. V. Seddon (Westland) 5 in asking for increased pretention of tile i industry The industry might be se- [ riouslv jeopardised hy the country be- ! ing Hooded with Oregon pine. Tt might • i (C S aid that this would cheapen tlm i price of timber ; hut that was not the fact, as the Oregon timber would disj place New Zealand second-class timber, ! and thus make the production of first- | class timber more expensive. Morc- • over this would mean waste, which was I against the forest policy of the Govd n- ! ment. The prie,e of timber in the couni pry was regulated hy the Hoard of ! Trade, so that there could he no ob--1 jection to Protection on the score of ! price. He asked that the item should ! be postponed for further consideration, j Mr W. H. Field (Otaki) said inoviti alilv tlie flooding of the country with j low-grade timber would mean that I much of our own low-grade timber I would go up in smoke. At any rate there should he a higher duty against | foreign countries with preference in | favour of Britain. Mr E. Txellett (Dunedin North) said when they considered the price of timlior and wliat an increased duty would mean to the builders and the public they must think carefully before adding to the burden. From the Year Hook it was seen that the increased imports were more, than compensated by exports of while pine, rimu, and kauri, and that at. a time when kauri could not be bought in some parts of the Dominion. ITo did not think there was much in the argument as to waste. ‘ | Mr R. Masters (Stratford) said the saw-millers already had preference on tlm railways. Tf the duty were increased it would further hold up build-

ing. . Mr O. .T. Hiiwkoii (Egmnnt) said ho would prefer to sod the duty removed from timber. The r ost or building was far too high, and that was largely due to tlie cost of timber. It would lie guild policy to import. Oregon, which stood well in New Zealand, and allow some of our own timber to be exported. POSITION OF THE CONSUMER. Mr 11. K. Holland (Huller) hoped the Minister would rcoonsidif the duties. The millers had made "'it a ease from llmir own point ol view, hut there wove several points Unit reipiired explanation. Clean-heart rimu was quoted at 2(1 s f,0.b.. West Const, but. in AVellington it cost £2 17s 3d; o.t). rimu was Ids on the Const and £1 d-Is 6d here; kauri was ,C2 -Is in Auckland and £3 17s 9d in Wellington. The Timber Workers’ Federation supported H4* proposals of the sawmill owners provided the Board of Trade safeguarded tlie consumers’ interest. Tf the request were granted, the Government should he in a position to guarantee that there would be no increase in charges. AYbnt was required most of all was protection from the prices inside New Zealand, which led to the abnormal charges he had quoted Mi- A. Tf. Atrnore (Nelson) said the American timber was milled by cheap labour, and should' not he allowed to conic into competition with the timber milled hy high-priced New Zealand labour. Tie upheld tlm view that importation of Oregon would lead to the destruction of much timber anil waste which would lw a farce when they had a Forestry Department established especially to prevent such a thing. Afr 0. .T, Haw ken, (Egmnnt) said if second-class timber was not saleable the price should be dropped. Afr. W. n. Field (Otaki) was satisfied that if the duty on the third column were increased, the cost of building would not. he affected. Timber -represented about one-seventh of the cost- of a house.

SCEETOTENTLY PROTECTED Alt- J. M’Combs (Lyttelton) felt, that it was idle to talk of the Hoard of Trade protecting the public against high prices. The huge freight rates should he sufficient to keep Oregon timber out of New Zealand if the sawmilling industry and the merchants played the game with the public. AC Holland said his concern was for the 8000 odd sawmill hands. He suggested that the Government should take delivery of all the timber, so that it might ensure the timber going to consumers at a reasonable price. Afr J Horn (Wakatipn) argued that imported timber provided n deal of work Inenlly. Afr A. Hamilton (Wnllaee) said it was strange that, although protection had been granted to private enterprise directly a business of State interest arose a freedom from duty was proposed. Those who were now advocating that timber should he free to provide cheap houses had already agreed to protection for the cement industry. He moved to reduce the Rritish preferential Tariff on timber n.e.i. by one penny ns an indietnion that the House was opposed to other timber hieing admitted free

Mr .T. R. Hamilton (Awnru#) urged the Minister to stand firm. The T/cader of the Opposition (Mr T. M Wilfordl said it had been proved up to the hilt that the priro of timber was too high or wages were ton low. They omild not blame the sawmillers for the high priee. What should be inrpiired into was the differenee between the mill priee and t.hp priee- at whieh the publie bought. Tt was the duty of the Oovernment. to inquire into that differenee. Mr TT Poland (Ohinemuri) was against adding anything to the priee of timber. Buying some timber this year he found that all the millers were in an association. They had to pay £IOO to join and they said their prices were fixed by the Board of Trade, and they could not alter them. The prices were all the same, till he found a firm which was not in the association, and whose prices were as much as Its a hundred feet helow the others. Mr Hamilton’s amendment was rejected on tho voioee and the item was passed.