NEW ZEALAND BEECH

Hokitika Guardian, 16 July 1927, Page 4

NEW ZEALAND BEECH

SIB D. lIUTCHEXS AS PROPHET.

CO-OPEK AT lON IX SOUTH TO SUPPLY AUSTRALIA.

(The "ICvoning Post,’’ May 13. !!>'_?<.» The export of New Zealand's oncc-de-pised beeoh lias increased from 710.0 flO 111 in 1022 to 2.303,000 feet in 1020. an increase of over 3CO per cent. Southland sa win i tiers have hcen the prineipal pioneers ol the export trade, which is practically all to Australia, The action of Southland millers in putting the.ir . export beech through a central assembling yard, to secure uniformity, shows that some sections of the New Zealand sawmilling industry are eager for progress and not averse to change. ; The New Zealand beech that goes to Australia is used principally in the building of motor bodies; in the maim- , fad lire of agricultural implements and i furniture ;in turnery manulaetures— , dowels, bases for electric switches, j etc., in hoot and shoe findings; and j in 'brush and broom findings. The j timber finds similar uses in New Zealand. The following table shows how j production and export have advanced: j

GIIADIXfI and shout lengths. Ones fsrciit advantage of the use of beech tnr tlu- above-mentioned purposes is chat in ninny eases short lengths can lie used—inucli shorter lengths i than are suitable lor ordinary building. Therefore, a plank that is parti ally spoiled by knots or other difficulties can be partially saved by profitable use by cutting off such portion, down to two or three feet, as is usable. It the profitable timber bus to la 1 cut away from the unprofitable iu Australia, the jnb if? handicapped by this fact that freig' * lias been paid on ’the whole plank. Tint if the job is done in New Zealand, then freight is payable only on beech that will lie used, not on beeeli that will almost certainly bo rejected, in whole or in part, by the user in Australia. At present beeeli is generally exported in first grade and second grade. Second grade lias boon found in practice contains a variable quantity of unusable timber, as described above. An Australian user, on going through a consignment of second grade to separate the good from the had. may secure an 85 per cent, good result, or perhaps only (15 per cent. So long 11s this variation exists, an Australian buyer has a dilliciilly in deciding wluit he can pay for second grade beech, because lie says, lie dues 1 not know exactly what value is in it. The remedy seems to he either—(l) a further improvement in grading at the New Zealand end. so that beech of less than first grade will bo graded into sub-grades giving a sound approximate idea of what it is worth for the purpose of the manufacturer who is to use it; or (21 a greater degree of preliminary work in New Zealand in the way of cutting out inferior wood and reducing the timber 10 .shorter lengths, for those users to whom shorter lengths are acceptable. The latter of course, as already mentioned, saves freight. In Australia to-day lii.av be seen reject parcels ot New Zealand beeeli. out of which a quaiftity of sound he-eh can lie ml. but the sound residue will nor. ho prolita.ble to the New '/inland exporter after freight is paid oil the total bulk. T'Tf I;M!? UTILISATION OF TURK. It would seem, then, that the New Zealand exporting sawmillers must either reduce second grade timber to sound lengths before export, thus gettin rid of freight on useless material ; or must epxort it in grades that convoy to the user an approximate idea of the usable content ; or must ho prepared to see the Australian buyers stipulate first glade only. OI course, it would he economically had for the New Zealand trade if the Australians, for the reasons stated, refused to take second grade beech, or refused to take 11 at profitable prices. The economical interests of the sawmillers reouires fullest possible utilisation ef Hie whole free. Tf nertoimlly good timber becomes unsaleable because of the mar keting or grading conditions, a dis- > service is performed to the sawmiller, the user, and the community. A j similar position arises in connection with building limber in the New Zealand market. Tt. is contended hv exports that O.Tk (ordinary building) timber could be profitably sold in larger quantities, permitting a fuller utilisation of the tree, il the O.Tk was better out. better seasoned (or dried), better graded and better marketed. As to the beech exporters, (lie hope that they will meet the difficulty immediately confronting them with regard to second class beeeli is strengthened by the fact Hint their enterprise and combination have already gone a long way to surmount obstacles, to improve the grading of beech, and to give it uniformity. It is in Southland that this good work lias been done. CENTRAL ASSEMBLING MILL. By a co-operative effort of Southland beeeli millers there lias been established at Kcw, near Invercargill, an assembing mill at which is assembled the green timber from the timber-cutting mills. At the assembling mill the green stuff is stacked and seasoned, and then is unstudied and graded before shipment, thus securing uniformity of grading and good seasoning. ,Seasoning, always important, is. in the case of export beeeli, largely motived by the tact that Australian users prefer wood that lias been brought down below a moisture content of 10 per cent (‘•partially air-dry") before coining under the influence of the dry climate of Australia. Some of the Australian users stack imported timber and further air-dry it. but the tendency is to kilu-dry it all. and one Australian factory kiln dries well If million feet a year for motor building, etc. This raises the question whether the movement to assemble within New Zealand the parts of certain motor vehicles might be extended to include manufacture of wooden parts thereof from New Zealand wood. The service performed by this central co-operation assembling mill near Invercargill may add to the cost a shilling or two. but the evidence is that it will add far more at the selling end. A uniform grading. instead of a grading by each sawmiller. helps the buyer to buy. And a clearer understanding of what is what in. the below first grades will help in the same direction.

BEGINNING TO OPEN THE MINE. The importance of the pioneering work of Southland sawmillers in the export trade will be gathered from the fact that about one-third of New Zealand's remaining resources in virgin timber consist of beech; and, of New Zealand native timbers, beech is also considered to be one of the most suitable for regeneration. Years ago. when hceeh was still the Cinderella of the forest. Sir David Hutchens had the foresight to write tthat as he looked on our great stands of this timber be had visions of “an unopened diamond

mine.” And now flic mine is just beginning to be opened. But it must not vet be assumed that nil beech is the same beeeli so far ns profitable use is concerned. 'llhe beech that is leading' the procession of the beeches is the silver beech. Most of our silver {beech, and. in fact, most of our beech, is in the South Island. Varieties that are found in the North will need practical testing in the market and this work is going oil. it is possible but not yet certain, that the great bulk of the Dominion’s beech asset will conic to profit. Not only is the regenerative factor good, but the crop is a poor land crop.

Air Al’Phersoii, chairman of directors of the Southland and Otago Cooperative Timber Co.. Ltd., Invercargill. the chief vehicle of practical cooperation in Southland timber production. lias just returned from Australia. after looking up users and spying, out the land. A week or two ago Mr A. K. Entrian. forest Products Engineer of the Forest Service, returned from a similar trip to Austtralfa. Air Enirican said he found that New Zealand beech was increasing in popularity among Australian users. New Zealand exporters were troubled as to their ability to supply Australia with sufficient first-grade beech, but the difficulties could be overcome if consideration was given to the supplying of short lengths, and if the grading rules were revised so that the Australian user, in buying other than first grade, might know exactly what he was buying. In this matter of improved grading the Forest Service, said Air Entricnn, was co-operating with the interests concerned. AVhilc in Australia lie got in touch with, beech users, inspected their factories and obtained an idea of their various requirements. As regards short lengths of beech, the trade had already commenced to develop, especially iu Sydney. Short lengths were also being accepted by Australian users of Tasmanian 'bbiekwood. for boot and shoe findings short lengths were now finding satisfactory sale.

Quantity Total I'xportcd |it'ii0uct ion War It'd. 15.M. It'd. 11. M. 1922 . 710.000 0. 227.000 102M .. 1.207.090 0,529,000 1921 .. . 1,329.000 7,139,000 1925 .. . 2,222,000 8,701.000 1920 .. 2,393.000 Xot compi loti