The Hokitika Guardian TUESDAY, MAY 2nd. 1022 THE TIMBER TRADE.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 May 1922, Page 2

The Hokitika Guardian TUESDAY, MAY 2nd. 1022 THE TIMBER TRADE.

Foi.i/OWiNO appears a reference from an Auckland newspaper to an aspect of the timber industry which is of the utmost importance to this district. From time to time reference has been marie in these columns to the need for West Coast snwmillets getting together aitd endeavouring to stem the action of the Government through its departments to restrict the timber output. Westland is far more vitally concerned in the matter than Auckland is from an industrial point of view, yet there appears to be absolute indifference to the restrictions which are growing tighter month hy mouth. The effect on the export trade is to continue according to present Government intentions, till .1 actually cases. This state of affaiis means a steady curtailment of the industry and consequent unemployment, till absolute stagnation is reached. The prospect is as had for the miller as it is for the employee. While the latter will lose his job, he can at least move of: somewhere else to seek an avenue for his labor, but the former will have liis expensive plant thrown on his hands and can then dispose of it at sacrificing prices only. While this will be bad alike for the miller and the employee, it will be correspondingly bad for t e district, which must suffer through the resultant stagnation. This eventuality start's the countryside ill the face, arid yet we repeat there is no practical cooperation on the part of those concern ed to get together and endeavour tn stem the oncoming disaster. With the ultimate vetoing of the timber export, what quantity of employment can the. e lie offering for the numerous mills (o supply the Dominion requirements only ? This district where there are the vast stores of timlier which New Zealand must rely on ultimately, will become a great forest preserve. Instead of industry and activity with the clearing of the land, and the spreading 1 pastoral pursuits, the bush will leinain. to he removed by the slow precis l which the restrictive regulations \ii govern entirely. It is not a ph as 1. prospect, for the future is palled by the measure of stagnation which wi 1 lull, ultimately on what is the ma 11 industry of the Coast. Whether the Government of the future will st; 11. by and remain passive at the sig' t o the resultant dislocation of industry, remains to be seen. We hope long eio the catastrophe towards which Government regulations are shaping, that the ]>eoplo as a whole will awake to the sense of the impending disaster, anti drive the theorists and faddists from oflice, and place men. with practical ideas at the head of affairs. There is hope that this will come to pass sooner than is expected. The Auckland attitude referred to below, can lie a powerful factor in stemming the difficulties ahead. Auckland has special influence with the Government, unci the agitation taking shape there should have influential effects. The West Coast might well take similar . action, and begin to educate public opinion about the impending di. saster to overtake the province if the restrictive regulations complained of are to go on steadily creating unemployment and winding up the country’s second largest field for operative work.

The exportation of timlier from Auckland was the subject of a private conference on Friday between representatives of the Auckland timber merchants and the local officer of the Board of Trade (says the “New Zealand Herald”) The merchants desire the lifting of the embargo placed on this phase of the industry in respect to certain classes of timber. It is considered that this would do away with a certain amount of unemployment in the timber trade. No official information as to the outcome of the conference was available last evening. Stagnation in the timber trade was referred to in a subsequent aewspapor interview by Mr E. Phelan, secretary to the Timber Workers’ Union. He said that uncertainty as to future prices of timber was causing delay in building operations, it being anticipated that a considerable reduction in values was imminent. Personally, lie, could not see that it was at all UUely, i'oj> th#-envious th#t production

was becoming more costly, sawmillers having to convey logs for long distances from the bush to their mills. Therefore a pronouncement should be made by them that no great reduction was probable. This Would have the effect of inducing people desiring to build houses to carry on without delay. In view of the fact that one of the Auckland hanks was prepared to lend from £IOOO to £SOOO on freehold security, those engaged in the timber trade should get together and endeavour to place it on a better footing. In the country districts, the wages of timber workers had been reduced and now the town and country were on an equal footing so far as a minimum wage went.

An important meeting in connection with the dairying industry is being held at Hawera this week, says the Wellington “Post”. It is the first of a series to, be held throughout the Dominion. The business of this and subsequent meetings is consideration of a scheme of control of daily produce for export, on lines somewhat similar to the meat export control. Mr A. Morton, president of the National Dairy Association is chairman of the Haweia meeting. Producers engaged in the butter and cheese export trade of the Dominion for some time past have felt that the marketing of their produce is in great need of improvement. The season just closing was remarkable for the vagaries of the London markets for both butter and cheese, and never before has the need for some central organisation to control the produce been mine insistent, more urgent. It has been shown during the 1921-22 season that directors of dairy companies were quite unable to know whether to make butter or cheese and if cheese, whether coloured or white. Evidence is said to be overwhelming that the markets for both products have been influenced by movements quite independent of the operations of the law of supply and demand. Every prominent dairyman is believed to be anxious that something should be done, without further delay, to place the export of butter and cheese permanently on a more satisfactory basis than at present. The establishment- of the meat pool or export control’scheme naturally turned the attention of dairy company directors towards results of private correspondence and conversations on the subject, a meeting was called between the South Taronki Dairies Association and prominent dairy comi»Uy directors, and held at Wanganui on March 29. A total output of 10,000 tons of cheese and 17,000 tons of butter was represented at that meeting. A unanimous decision on the matter of control of the exportable butter and cheese Was arrived »t at the niaetiug. and the sequel was the fdrmu- ■ Lit ion of proposals to be subnlitted to meetings of co-operative dairy factory directois at various centres throughout the Dominion in conjunction with the Houta Island Dairy Association.