The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1927. AN ASPECT OF THE TIMBER TRADE

Hokitika Guardian, 12 March 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1927. AN ASPECT OF THE TIMBER TRADE

At. the meeting on Monday night last, when the plight of the timber industry was under discussion, Mr Murdoch did not mince matters in his reference to one phase of the stringency which affected the timber trading on the Coast. He regards the Government interference with prohibitory regulations as the chief cause of the slump on the Coast, for the immediate effect of the restriction on export was to jeopardise and ultimately to lose the market established at considerable cost by the millers themselves in Australia. The ostensible reason for the restriction was to save the timber for New Zealand, but that was an obvious fallacy which was pointed out from'the outset, hut the authorities refused to see it. It was made plain that the timber going to America was largely surplus or waste material which could not he sold in the Dominion, but despite this clear statement and the plain fact of the situation, the Government authorities continued to ieto and still vetoes free export to Australia. From the conference which took place at Hokitika, and to which also Mr Murdoch referred, it was clear the Government policy was dominated hy Sir Francis Bell who in the face of all reasonable advice persisted in a policy which has assisted to land the industry' in the critical condition it is to-day. Si r Francis Bell has many eminent qualities but by his interference ’th the timber policy he has assisted to contribute to the ruin which is now falling on the industry. Had the free export to Australia gone on there would have been a different story to tell to-day, neither would New Zealand have been in jeopardy of any

imminent limber famine. The lad is that, the native timber forests do not provide on an average more than lif--1 teen per cent, of heart timber. That is the chief commodity which is saleable readily within the Dominion. The remaining eighty five per cent, of the timber is not saleable readily, and known as 0.8. becomes a glut at the mill yards. A very large proportion of the timber thus becomes a waste and a loss. This is the sacrifice which is being made to comply with the prohibition of export enforced under regulations which were made in a most peculiar, and not fo say, unfair manner. The whole treatment of this phase of the business is not creditable to the Government which has given a. great industry a stab in the back, jeopardising the employment of hundreds of men and imperilling huge sums of capital invested in sawmilling undertakings. This is not a new charge against the Government. It has been made before. It was voiced in no uncertain sound, when Sir Francis Bell was here in person to sponsor the unfortunate business. It is regrettable that all that was forecasted then has come to pass, and the industry is stagnant and threatens the general prosperity of the Dominion. Sir Francis was told that the policy would lead to the closing the mills, and his reply is perhaps still remembered, “Shut up your mills.” He was responsible also for the dictum that bo “would let tlie trade slump rather than let the timber go out of the country! “Well, the trade has slumped, and now tlie Government is to be asked what steps are to be taken to undo what the policy of Sir Francis Bell has done. It is for the Government to act, for the Government must take a major share of the blame—that fact is incontestable. Mr Murdoch was quite right in laying the blame at the door of tlie Government, which acted on the dictum of one of its Ministers. Responsiblity was never brought borne - more clearly and the Government cannot escape being answerable for a material measure of the sad plight of the timber industry in New Zealand today.