N.Z. TIMBER

Hokitika Guardian, 19 July 1927, Page 4

N.Z. TIMBER

FULL PROTECTION URGED. A good case for the protection ol the New Zealand sawmilling industry was made in the House of llrepresentatives last week by Mr F. F. Hockly (Rotorua), who said that the main cause of depression in the timber industry was the heavy importation of foreign timber. Over 30,000,000 ft were imported last year, with the result that large stocks of New Zealand timber were to bo found in all the yards. We are practically encouraging American timber traders by following our present suicidal policy, while our own workers stood idle. Only drastic action would be of any avail in this crisis. Mr Hockly suggested that the Minister of Customs should adopt a policy ol retaliation. America would take nobbing from us. At every turn she erected tariff burners against us. We should make it im|Hissiblo for America to export her products to New Zealand. The Prime Minister: What about the consumer? Mr Hockly: That is the very point 1 am going to deal with. There is a feeling chat if American timber is shut out the price of timber will go up. However, sawiniliers have given a definite pledge that if sinTnient protection is given to the industry they will not put tse price up. Hon. J. A. Young: Did they give a guarantee? Air Hockly: I am convinced that they would meet the Government in every possible way.

Hon. 0. J. Hawken: Are yon satisfied with the present price of timber:' Afr Hockly: It is must remarkable, almost like telepathy, for I was just .about to deal with that aspect. The Reader of Hie Opposition: Great minds run in the same groove. NARROW MARGIN OF PROFIT. Air Hockly said he bad been given a costing statement compiled in a North 'lsland sawmill where 700.000 ft of timber were cut per month. The statement, wbieli dealt with a period of five months, showed that it cost 16s 9d per 100 ft to produce, timber, and the average sales were at 18s oil per 10011. The Prime Alinister: That must be a new mill.

Air Hockly: \n. it has been going some time. One mouth only 7 per cent profit per 10011 was made. Ibis mill was paying only Is per 100 ft royalty. Tf there was only Us Sd between the cost and sales price, what could millers do when they bad to meet a royalty of 3s or over? 'pile Prime Alinister: Yim are referring to sales to the merchant wholesale ? Afr Hockly: Yes. we are told that the reason for the high price of timber is to be found ill high wages, but that is not the ease. 1 believe those men work so hard that they deserve all they get. This statement shows that in January the men at this mill earned £l7. and in February £1» Ids. Air Sykes (Masiertun) : Cutting till

the time? Air Hockly: That is wlmt mouthers do not understand. There are days when cutting is impossible. There were 27 working days in Alarcli, and the men earned £22. In April there were 10 working days, and they made ‘£ll 10s. They lost one day in Alny, ami made £2l Ills. Tor live months they made a total of £9l 10s, or not quite £4 10s a week. The Prime .Minister: Is that logging and milling ttfl in one?

Air Hockly said it was. He contended that anyone who said these men did not earn all they got did not know what be was talking about. WHY PRICES ARE HIGH. A Reform members: How do you ace unit for the price being so high? ‘ I'm going to deal with that, too," retorted Air Hockly, amid laughter. "There is no point in this controversy wherein I am not armed." Air Hockly went on to say that some people who did not understand New Zealand conditions suggested that if American methods were employed here millers could cut the cost, but American methods could not bo applied, because our conditions were so different. In American forests every tree was alike, and every trunk could be cut down to the ground. In New Zealand a third of the timber cut was waste. At the mill under review 28 per cent loss in cutting was sustained in .Tannary, JO j percent in February. 31 in Alarcli. 31 I fit April and 34 in May. Some ol the most intelligent and enterprising sawiniliers in Now Zealand bad gone to America to study the methods there and if it bad been possible to successfully adopt American methods it would have been done. An up-to-date 1 American mill had been bought and j transferred to Upper llutt, but after I two years the company “went broke." I Tho Kauri Timber Company, a c-on- : corn which know the business thor- | "uglily. bad also installed an up-to-date American plant, but it proved unsuitable, and the company reverted to its former method. M,r Hockly said millers bad recently held a round the table conference, ax a result of which lie believed timber could Is' put out in better condition. It cost sawiniliers about 7s a hundred to

dry timber. MERCHANTS MAKE THE PROFIT. Millers did not make big profits, Mr TTockly declared, lie believed it was the timber merchant who got the rake off. Who could point to the miller who bad made much money? He (the speaker) bad been shown a letter in which a merchant ordered timber from a miller. He said he must have dry timber, but it must be at the green price.

The Opposition Loader: How arc* you going to get over that difficulty with the merchant? .Mr Hockly replied that lie thought that was a question for millers. Mr Holland: Doesn’t the State come in with the timber yards? Mr Hockly: I’m afraid that would I>ut the price up. 1 don't favour State enterprise." Air Hockly concluded by saying that merchants were largely to blame by reason of the fact that they, too, frequently specified that the major portion of the timber used in dwellings should be imported wood.