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Hokitika Guardian, 3 July 1926, Page 2

Thebe has been a remarkable growth in timber production over the last thirty years. The figures available for the Westland land district, which inclucks the Grey Valley and Otira line are very interesting:

There are about 1,000 men employed in the industry, so that a rough estimate can be made very easily of the wages paid out. r Jlie capital, invested in the sawmills of the district is not less than half a million. In addition to wages, there is all the cost of transport and shipping to he considered in regard to the amount of industry involved. Railway and shipping are utilised largely for transport, and create an amount of trade which adds materially to the sum of the general prosperity for which the timber industry in our midst is responsible. The principal timber exported overseas is white pine, and last year totalled upwards of eighteen millions. Less than three million and a-lialf of red pine was sent overseas, due to the restrictions on export. The timber railed to East Coast markets by way of the railway tunnel, was in the region of thirty-five million feet. It will he realised from the figures given that the hulk of the product must 1 n exported. A fail* quantity of white pine is used locally for butter boxes, but it is said that only about one per cent, of the output is used for niamifacturing’pnrposes within the district. If in addition to the production of timber, its manufacture into saleable commodities such as doors, sashes affd furniture, could be more widely utilised locally, (he value of tbo timber industry to tbo place would be greatly enhanced. Unfortunately the manufacturing plants at Christchurch and elsewhere arc content to draw their timber supplies from the Const, which has to ho satisfied with producing, the raw material, while the centres derive the benefit from a resident industrial population engaged in the manufacture of the goods referred to. The district does not receive, therefore, all it should from its great output and wealth of timber.

Year Xo. Sawmills Output 1395 . 17 . 3,223,145 1902 . 29 . 14,464,755 1907 . 49 . 44,933,813 1912 43 . 62,450,663 191*7 50 . 50,000,000 1922 . 70 . 48,000,000 1920 85 . 73,452,000