TIMBER INDUSTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 23 January 1925, Page 3

TIMBER INDUSTRY

AUCKLAND OUTPUT DECREASING. RECORD MILLING YEAR IN AYESTLAND. AUCKLAND, January 21. Timber production in the Auckland province has reached its zenith and while the district will maintain its dominant position for timber output in New Zealand for another ten years the trend of industry is definitely towards a secondary place in favour of Westland. which had a record milling production last year of G 0,000,003 .superficial feet.

The consumption of timber in Greater Auckland has reached immense proportions in recent years because of the remarkable extent of building construction. It is estimated by leading timber merchants that the annual consumption of sawn timber in and about the citv is now between (>0,000,000 feet and 70.000,000 feet. A considerable •proportion of the total is imported timber, consisting principally ol Oregon. cedar. Jarrah and ironbark. The interesting feature of the trade in imported timber is found in the manufacture of doors for the Dominion building trade. Some years ago tens of thousands of standard doors were imported, Canada supplying the greatest number. Recently a notable change has been elicited ill that Auckland timber mills now manufacture doors for the building trade on all extensive scale, one firm alone is turning out no fewer than 12,000 doors in imported Oregon and cedar a year, and Is finding a ready market lnr them throughout the Dominion. So prominent lias this phase ol the timber industry become in the past three months that representatives of Canadian exporters have made 'querulous note o! the development, mentioning in letters tliat their export of doors Lo New Zealand has decreased to an alarming extent.

The forests of Auckland province still yield some 20,000,000 superficial feet of sawn kauri a year. The bulk of the output is used in New Zealand ; there is -'it a great deal exported, one merchant estimating that this year shipments overseas will aggregate less than 2,000,000 superficial feet. “ Export trade in kauri.”» he said, “ is not worth troubling about now. There is a keen demand for it in New Zealand, and the surplus lor export is comparatively small.” Kauri lorests outside the ( ro" n areas are being depleted J rapidly ; it is estimated that at the existing rate of milling commercial kauri lorsets will all ho cut out ill a decade. Another timber that obtains a more than ordinary share ol the hushman’s axe is white pine. The exhaustion of the resources in the King Country is rapid, and necessitates milling far afield, involving increased logging and manufacturing costs.

During the financial year. 1923-21, no lower than sixteen mills were cut out in a wide region ol the main tiunk forests, while only twelve new mills were in the course of construction. The Alamaki-Kotorua region has become an important centre lor the production of sawn timber. Tho latest returns showed that over a score of mills are operating in the territory, with a productive capacity of 52,000,000 superficial feet a year. The area of standintr timber in thsit- district is lively restricted and there is much need of conserving the immature growing forest on Stale lands. The State Forest Service has planned to plant 5.030.000 trees in the North Island Idlest areas in the current financial year. Prices for New Zealand Limber are likely to remain at the present standard for some time with no trade anticipation of an increase. Quotations Im- imported timber, however, have shown a tendency this month to hardCM. L ,u.uM.frrr