Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 7 March 1927, Page 2

To-nigiit a public meeting is to be held with the object of stimulating the . interest of the people lit large in the welfare of the timber industry. The . meeting is convened under the auspices of the New Zealand Timber Industry Advancement Association, and an address will he given by Mr IV. E. Turnbull, of Ohakune. who is the travelling organiser. The public throughout the King Country are now solidly supporting the Association, which is the first attempt to organise the public, "ho are indirectly interested in the industry, such as business people, as well as workers, in order to save sawmilling from Iwing overthrown by the importations of. American timber, which is being produced by cheap labour. and which pays no revenue to the New Zealand .Government except a small duty of 2s per 100 feet, which is less than the royalty alone paid by New Zealand millers, apart from railway and shipping freights and wages. It is apparent from what is transpiring in this locality that the district is suffering severely by the loss of employment for the hundreds of sawmill hands who are either unemployed or on short time. There must he a great drop in the wages paid out, and that affects all parts of the community. The movement therefore is well timed, and should result in a general organisation being established which will go a long way to impress the Government. Tt is only bv means such as here proposed that effective representations can be made to the Government, and on that account the present move is on the right lines, and should l>e well backed up hv the community.