The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1925. RESTRICTIVE REGULATIONS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 March 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1925. RESTRICTIVE REGULATIONS.

Tin-: question of llk- restrictive regulations afreet inn the limiter export lias again cropped up. It is sometime since "e referred (o this matter, as we appeared to he it lone voice crying in a wilderness of indifference. However, the shoe is beginning to pinch as we expected, and those feeling the pinch are beginning to cry out. The mistake is that the obvious position which lias come to pass was not realised long ere this by the employee section. However, better late than never, though loss and injury lias been put upon the Dominion through the indifference of those who should have been the first to realise the ultimate effect of tho restriction on export. Last week the secretary of the Timber Workers Federation communicated to the lhime Minister a pointed review of the situation as created by the regulations, in which it was pointed out that the timber industry all over New Zealand was in a bad state through huge importations of foreign timber. If something is not done at once to either place heavy duty on foreign timber, or allow export of local timbers to Australia, then unemployment on a large settle will result. Next month will see two hundred timber workers out of work on the Most toast alone, and understand Southland i.s similarly affected, Thu Federation asked as its lights that the Government do something at once to put right this state of affairs, which was due entirely to the Government’s policy of blocking exports on the one hand, and, on the other, allowing foreign timbers to come into the country almost free of duty, a policy which must prove ruinous to any industry; there are six thousand timber tvirkcr in New Zealand, and they certainly have some rights as workers. Ihe above polity, it was explained finally, is also ruinous to the railways as well. The foregoing, unfortunately, is all too true. Hut there is a good deal more to be said. There i.s a heavy economic loss falling on the country through waste timber which could he sold profitably to Australia, being left in the Dominion a valueless comnioditv. In these times when the Government vciv properly asks for more production, so pn- as the timber trade is concerned, the Government restricts production and causes enormous waste and loss in consequence. It is an old, old etoiv, and has been refold often enough, but to satisfy the fad policy governing the Forestry Depaitment, this ruinous restriction on export is retained, and the country loses money, employers are at their "its end to keep their plants going, mil employees are looking for work. T-oss, discontent and mistrust of the powus that be are going up, and the Government in this matter is creating srn.ething of a hornet’s nest for ts» f. If Cabinet as a whole would not leave ibis policy to the sweet will of one man, but would regard the circ-u instances of tile ease in the same perspective affecting the industry, which is so great in employer of labor, and the producer >f so much natural wealth, there world >e no doubt regarding what would bnp:<.,i to the policy—it would be amend'd. But a strong man dominates tho j ?ahinet- on this question, and disaster s resulting from rest: ictions. which it ins been stated openly are to lie diawn lighter and tighter till all export is o c-ease! In that dark hour much apital sunk in the sawmilling industry • ill lie lost, while hundreds of men at lie mills, about the railways, and on lie wharves will be out of employment, nd shipping and other trade derived rom the overseas business in timber ■ ill lie lost. Trade always has its laminations, and to stop or cut one branch f it, is to affect many others. This ; so particularly in regard to the tuner industry which gives a great volnie of trade far outside the circle of he miller and his employees. It is to e hoped the belated message from the 'orkers’ Federation to the Prime Minter will have some lasting effect be-.

fore tilings go too far and an incalcuable ]oss falls upon the Dominion.