TIMBER IMPORTS

Hokitika Guardian, 3 April 1925, Page 1

TIMBER IMPORTS

FREIGHT ON BALTIC TIMBER. [by TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, April 2. “AA'e have instances on record where it has cost less in freight charges to land Baltic timber in New Zealand from Sweden that it docs to bring it from. Greymouth to Wellington,” remarked Captain Macintosh Ellis, Director of State Forests, when discussing the forestry question. “Sweden,” lie added, ” in my opinion is puttting her stuff in here on a dumping basis. Her markets are not the same in Europe to-day ns they were some years ago, and in consequence she is extending her markets all over the world. Sweden in getting into tlio American markets for as far west as Mississippi—a most unprecedented thing.

“I am of opinion that Sweden is prepared to sacrifice her immediate profits on her timber exports to hold tier organisations and keep her machinery going until such time as the European market becomes normal. No doubt, when it does, Europe, will bo able to absorb all the Baltic supplies.” Asking if New Zealand had adequate timber supplies for her own requirements, Captain Ellis said that supplies were adequate for ordinary requirements until such t ime as the planting policy reached fruition. AA'hilo there were adequate supplies in the country the timber stocks wore now located in places where it needd a lot of transport to bring it to the dislribuing centres.

Supplies were more inaccessible than they were, and timber was now being cut much further hack than it was several years ago. Supplies were not found along the route of the Main Trunk today as they were formerly, and heavycosts wore, involved in bringing it lo the railway.

Reverting to the question of foreign imports from Sweden, Captain Ellis said there were other factors in the position which would take too long to discuss then.

Asked if the public realised the importance of forestry he replied in tho affirmative.

“The public do appreciate the importance of the subject,” remarked Captain Ellis, “and the general and increasing interest of the people, in foiestrv matters is more real and moio concrete to-day than over. This interest applies not only to the country districts hut to the city areas as well. We get fen times the number of applied ions for literature to-day, than we did. say. ten years ago, aiul whereas New Zealand nurserymen and the forcstrv service were selling hundreds and thousands of trees four or five years ago, to-day we are selling scores of thousands. That is one of the signs of increasing interest, nnd another is that, whereas the State planted some 1300 acres in 1921, for the year just closed we planted 10,000 acres. “Proprietary concerns and others are. planting to-day, in the aggregate, as much as the State.