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Hokitika Guardian, 1 July 1926, Page 2

The interest of the sawmilling industry are of great importance in this district, because of the fact that so much employment depends on the activities of the industry. Statistics fas have been quoted before) disclose the great importance of the industry to t"he Dominion as a whole, because of the value of the product, and of the employment afforded in producing

the return. So far as this district is concerned, milling is the mainstay of the place, causing the circulation as it does, of so much money in wages at regular intervals. It is the pivot of local prosperity. It is of the highest importance then to see tins industry maintained at its best strength, and it would appear that a healthy public opinion should be behind the milling interests in order that no check should he placed to the disadvantage of reasonable development. There is now very considerable competition in outside markets, and on these of course the real prosperity depends. Importations are affecting the position also, so that for the miller there is always an unsteady financial barometer. The number of mills within the Dominion is very considerable, and that in ita.'lf is some evidence that there is not any immediate shortage of timber ii sight. Mills require very considerable capital for establishment, and expenses are an increasing rather than a diminishing factor, owing to the distance it is necessary to haul logs to a central milling station, being steadily added to. A milling enterprise is not entered upon lightly, and that suggests that the life of most sawmills is considerable. The trade, however, is affected very materially by the importations of cheaper timbers—ehenph produced and cheaply transported. The oversea commodity docs not enter the Dominion on an equal footing with the local community—it has much better prospects, and the importations mean lessened wages and turn over for the local trade. All this points 1the necessity of an overhauling with regard to production in New Zealand. The slogan cry to assist the local industry cun only he answered .satisfactorily when conditions are equal, and there should be some effort to equalise the cost of production, so that the commodities will go on the market on more equal terms. That is a direction in which some real help can he afforded, and with Parliament in session, there should he some prospect for fh«desired relief if those eowjerned will go about the matter thoroughly and seek to place their case fairly before the country.