TIMBER PRICES.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1925, Page 4

TIMBER PRICES.

ODIOUS COMPARISON.

WELLINGTON, February 1

lii the “New Zealand Times ’ of Tuesday last there appeared a statement of a Hamilton resident t ho stated that in Sydney New Zealand tongued and grooved dressed l'inid lining was quoted at 98 per 100 ft., whilst the larger size, namely Gin by iin., was shown at 15s 6d. The informant went on to say that the local quotation for both these lines was bet veeii 90s and B'.)s. ■■ ENTIRELY INCOR RECTA This paragraph yesterday drew a Joply from Mr Arthur Seed, the secretary of the New Zealand Sawtmllers’ Federation, who speaking to a “Times” representative said: “In the first plate the statement on the price 1 f New Zealand timber is entirely incorrect, for the ex-truck price to users in Hamilton for full cut tongue and groo/od and dressed match lining, eiti-r din or (nil out of full 3in is only 28s, liielu ;tng railage. The price is also subject to usual discounts. Moreover considerably cheaper quotations can be got for Jin thickness or “2 out of tin inch " 111 fact the wording of the paragraph seems to clearly i«id‘> "to that Ihe qiu.li tv referred to is equivalent to our tongue and grooved and surfaced rough lining—and the price for ibis c-s-tiuck •'Hamilton would be 18s 9d, and these Hamilton prices are at IGO supirlU.nl feet.

DIFFERENCE IN TERMS. “The Hamilton resident who was responsible for giving this item of news to the papers lias been obviously misled by tile fact that practically all Australian price lists quote match lining and flooring at 100 feet, lineal—Hot superficial! Hence the 9s per 100 feet for diii rimu is equivalent to 27s per hundred superficial feet, and the 15s (HI per 100 for Gin x -Jin is equivalent to 31 s per 100 superficial feet. Moreover this latter Gin x Jin is almost certainly 2 out of an inch or more, -probably 3 out of Hin. and the smaller size at 9s per 100 lineal—assumed to he din or very probably 3in wide "ill almost certainly he otil of an inch. SYDNEY METHODS. “Things are cut so fine in retailing timber in Sydney that it is quite si common practice tor three lining hoards to be rccut out of the snwniiller’s lin thickness. Furthermore, it is more than probable that this lining quoted in Australia is recut from scantlings purchased on the AVcsfc Coast. 1 hose scantlings are sold at 12s (>d ’per 100 super, less 2* per cent, discount f.o.b. from Grey mouth, and in such case it is practically certain that at least four or live lining hoards would be procured from 2in thickness.

“THE OBVIOUS TRAP.” “There are t-herfore so many con“siderntions to be taken into account that a true comparison of the two prices is quite impossible without an actual specimen of the sv'.e and quality puited, hut, nevertheless, it remains quite clear that the informant of the newspaper has fallen into the obvious trap for the uninitiated created by a quotation on lineal feet as against a quotation on superficial feet.”