EMPIRE PRODUCTION.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 August 1922, Page 4

EMPIRE PRODUCTION.

TIMBER. The total value of wood and timber' imported into' the United Kingdom l last year jvns £3O, as against £82,145,219 in' 1920. Canada possesses vast .resources of timber and the value of her yearly protluqtiofi ,in Quebec, Qntarjo, t\nd, British Columbia is in the neighbourhood of 60,000,000d01. in each ease. liij the production of sawn lumber, of the softwoods, spruce provides the largest cut, Douglas fir and white pine ranking next. The most important hardwoods produced are birch and maple. In ißritish Columbia, which i s becom-; ing the principal centre of the lumbering industry, it is estimated that there are approximately 366,000,000,000 board-fqet of merchantable timber. Douglas fir is greatly in demand for structural timber, both by reason of its great strength and durability. Western red cedar is much used in , flume-construction, .framing, for posts, I telephone-poles, boats etc. Silver I spruce has of late sprung into con- | sideralde prominence because of its j great strength, lightness, and refiil--1 lence, making it an excellent acroj plane, timber. Western soft pink ; makes a good finish material, and western hemlock forms the greater pact of the pulp-wood used, and is also in demand for box-manufacture' and cooperage. With a view to the encouragement of the lumber industry in Britisli Columbia, the British Admiralty arc providing for the use of Douglas fir, instead of Oregon pine, in dealing with timber orders. The total value of the exports of unmanufactured wood and wood products from the Dominion of Canada for the year ended Man'll, 1922, was 109,"69,668d01., as .compared, with 191,01G,962d01. in the previous year. In New Zealand, the great length and width of the trunks of the kauri pine, Jlie.ir soundness, uniformity, freedom from knots and faults, and the durability and good working qualities of the wood make kauri a most valuable timber Red pine and white pine are also exported. The exports of timber from New Zealand last year were valued at £504,150, as against £697,608 in 1920. It lias been estimated that the forests of Australia cover about 93 million acres, of which 18 million acres

are specially reserved for timber. Amongst hardwood timbers, the particular species of eucalyptus popularly known us irohbarks are very highly prized for all work requiring great strength and durability, barge, quantities of other species of eucalyptus are used locally, ns well as exported nbifjad, for' wood-paving. while others arc valuable timbers for wharves and Inudges. There are vast mini lairs .of other “gums,” “boxes.” and “mahoganies,” mil- of more or less value for industrial purposes. Pines are also to be found, giving valuable timber tor ceilings, box-mak-ing etc., and among the furniture and cabinetniaking timbers mav be inaAi cd red cedar, rosewood, white beech, silky oak, tulip wood, red bean, and figured hlackwood. Sandalwood has been exported from the Commonwealth in considerable quantities for over half a eoiiturv.

Exports o) timber, dressed from the Commonwealth of Australia during 1 1926-21 amounted to 4,427.126 sup. feat, valued at £55.156 compared with 613,125 sup. feet, valued at £l-5,159 in 1919-20. There was also a consider able increase in t,lio shipments of iiutimber, the total for 1920-21 being no less than 108,288,006 sup. ft., valued at £1,277,892, compared with 52,451,000 sup. ft., valued at £466,334, in the previous year. Shipments of sandalwood totalled 222.788 ewt.. valued at £194.701. as against i 297,571 ewt.. valued at £267,097 in 1919-20. .The most valuable of Indian timbers is undoubtedly teak. Other timbers of first-class grade would include sal. sandal, sissoo, Imekwobd, deodar, sundri. Andaman and Burma padnuk. in or eng, irontvcod, red sunders, khair and babul. Teak wood to the amount of 16,812 cubic tons, valued at R.s. 49,59,520. wax export'd from India during 1921. as against 51.449 cubic tons, valued at Rs. 1.35.11.270, in 1920.

Rhodesia possesses in parts much valuable native timber, which, so far, has been little exploited. Rhodesian tusk and mahogany are lairlv well known, and a great deal of excellent an,l (handsome furniture has been made from these woods. Timber of all kinds to the amount of 68.260 cubic feet was exported from British Guiana during 1920. The exportable surplus of wood in Kenya Colony and the British East Africa and Uganda Protectorates in 1920-21 amounted to 312 tons, valued at £O,OIB, in 1919-20. Timber to the amount of 15,450 tons, valued at 593,200, was exported from the Unfederated Malay States in 1920, as compared with 13.515 tons, valued at 631,000d01. in 1919.

With a view io the exploitation of the immense timber resources of British North Borneo Timber Company lias been formed, and lias provided facilities for tlui production of at least 2,250,000 cubic feet of timber per annum. Exports of timber from British North Borneo during 1920 were valued at £155,0-18, as compared with £127.045 in 1919.

With ,a. view to the exploitation of the immense timber resources of British North Borneo, the British North Borneo Timber Company has bet n formed, and lias provided facilities for the production of at least 2,250,000 cubic feet of tiniber per annum. Exports of timber from British North Borneo during 1920 were , valued at £ 155,048, as compared with £127.045 in 1919.

Alahogony from British .Honduras is thought highly of by experts, doubtless because of its uniformity both in grade and figuring. In 1920 shipments of mahogany front this colony totalled 9,77.3,100 sup. ft. I.ogwootl was also exported during tho same year to the amount of 1,570 tons.

Shipments of timber, chiefly mahogany. from the Cold Coast in 1921 were 10,500.000 sup. ft., valued at £200,000. as against 21.500,000 sup. ft valued at £342,000, in 1920.

Logwood to the amount, of 32,565 tons, valued at £268,662, was exported from Jamaica in 1920.