The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) FRIDAY, JUNE Ist, 1923.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 June 1923, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) FRIDAY, JUNE Ist, 1923.

THE TIMBER INDUSTRY. Aj,TIIOU«u there was a moa-nro attendaiU't! of members of local bulios and the pun-lie at tlio general conference at tbo Town Hall on Wednesday night, tlio subjects dealt with were all of more or less importance. If there is any virtue in these public discussions us a means to educate opinion or to ventilate ideas, regular gatherings of iho character promoted by the Westland Chamber of Commerce are certainly worth while. But it is essential primarily that the public themselves should to present and so glean first hand the views and opinions expressed as an indication of the tiend of thought. Of all the matters brought up, it appears to uk that tlio future of the timber industry is of the greatest importance to this district. There is quite a lack of conception of the trend of the Government policy in the gradual prohibition being forced on the sawmillers by the diminution of the export of riinu timber overseas. Rimu grows very prolific-ally in Westland, but in a very short time its total prohibition for export will come to pass. This is so by reason of a Government regulation which Is gradually wearing down the export trade. In 1919 the regulations permitted an export of 30,000,000 feet of rimu. The next year the limit was ‘37,000,000, and so on since then the aggregate total has been reduced by three million feet per annum. By 1929, or only six years from now, not a stick of rimu may be exported. This year the maximum total is 18,090,000. In three years time it will be 9,000,000 only, and in five years time, the last year of export, tho quota- will be down to 3,000,000. There is more than the unfortunate sawrniller involved in this prohibition of expert. The miller who has built for the future in the hope of trade expansion (as any industrialist would do) has to face a contraction of trade'. Lfis outlay in plant and extensions has been too previous, and ho will have to face a heavy lcxw. The sawmill hand will be the next involved. There will be less employment for him. Trade conditions will not he as good, and the worker will have to face reduced wages and loss work. The industry will lie disorganised, bodies which have derived benefit from timber revenues will find that source of income reduced, and they will have to retrench, or levy more money from the ratepayers. A reducing industry will affect every district where sawmilling is centred. There can be no expansion, and there will lie a drift. The whole effect will be to react throughout the community, nud the general result will be dislocation of trade and labor, and loss all round. What is the remedy? The meeting did not discuss that phase. All that was done was to emphasise the serious import- oi" the occasion, and to suggest a palliative measure that the surplus from the high aggregate export quotas of the past or earlier years, should be carried forward. This does not avoid the ultimate effect of the policy in force—the ultimate extinction of the export trade. There was a suggestion to bring the matter lwfore an officer of the Industries and Commerce Department due tere shortly, and that step might be useful far propaganda purposes. There was the suggestion, too, that when the Royal Commissioner is here in regard to the royalties question, the local bodies should emphasise their views m the interests of tho ratepayers. But the

whole subject is important enough to awaken the widest public interest and to ventilate a robust public opinion on the matter as the surest way of securing some permanent relief. The Member for the District should be induced to bring Dio subject up for debate in tho House, and if a controlling committee were set up, to utilise its services in useful propaganda, not only for Parliament, but also through the press of the Dominion, there would lie more hope for quickening action to save the industrial situation, so far as Westland is concerned. •