POLITICAL JOTTINGS

Hokitika Guardian, 3 September 1926, Page 2

POLITICAL JOTTINGS

TIM BE I? BRICKS. “ It, would be just as easy, just as sensible and just as equitable to have a tribunal to fix the prices of timber as it is to have a tribunal to'fix the rate of wages. If you provide for a. miserable duty of 2s per 100 feet and make no fixing of prices, timber u’ill go up in price without affording relief to the people of 4he country.”—-Air Tl. T Armstrong (Christchurch East). FOREIGN GOODS. “ There is m argument in borrowing money from Britain and having our mill hands walking their boots off on onr streets, and buying timber from foreign countries.”-—Air R, AV. Smith (AVnimarino). Tho Hon. W. Nosworthy: Canadian timber is Empire Air T. E. Y. Soddon (Westland): United States is not. INTO THE FUTURE. “ Tt is only a matter of time when the milling rights of all timber cut in New Zealand will bo purchased from the State Forestry Department.”—Air H. Atmoro (Nelson) in the House. THE ONLY WAY. “The only way to produce timber more cheaply in New Zealand is to reduce wages, but this would not be acceptable to. the House.”—Air AV. 11. Field (Otaki). TIMBER BEING USED. “In -10 years’ time our indigenous timber will lie used up, and we have from now oil to make preparations for this.”—Hon Air Hawken in the House. BRICE WILL NOT .MATTER. “Oregon without knots is tho easiest timber in the world to work, and will be always used, no matter what price is put on to it.”—Air J. Horn (AYakatipu). / ROYALTIES. “Every Is per 109 feet paid in royalties means about £3 on a £SIOO house, surely this is not too much to expect to pay when the timber is our own.” —Hon Air Hawken in the House. 'THE DIFFERENCE. AVhereas in America a horse can pull out several logs, it requires a steam hauler to bring out one in New Zealand.—One of the reasons advanced by Air R. AY. Smith (AVnimarino) to account for timber being produced more cheaply in America than in New Zealand. THIRD CLASS. “ There is an accumulation of thirdclass timber in New Zealand, and to get rid of it is something of a problem,” said the Hon. 0. J. Hawken in the House; “ but I know it is to be secured cheaply, and if any temporary buildings are required this should he used. There has been too much of a run on the best timber.” THE TENURE REFERENDUAI.

A provision in the Licensing Amendment Bill is to the effect that if the proposal for a referendum to decide whether there should be three-year or six-year licensing polls is carried, the poll shall not be taken earlier than the second general election held thereafter. Mr D. G. Sullivan (Avon) has circulated an amendment which lie proposes to move to this clause in committee. His amendment is in the form of the following addition: “Provided always that if not less than six months before the day fixed for any general election a petition signed hv not less than onetenth of the total number of electors on the Parliamentary rolls of the Dominion shall be presented to the Gov-ernor-General praying that such licensing poll shall lie so taken, anything to 1 the contrary herein contained notwithstanding.”