WOOD PULP INDUSTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 14 April 1928, Page 2

WOOD PULP INDUSTRY

EXPERIMENTS WITH' N.Z. TIMBERS. WELLINGTON, April 12. Experiments which may prove to he of the first importance to New Zealand trade are now being completed by Mr A. K. Entrican. State Forest Products Engineer, in the United States ol America. These experiments, designed to discover the worth of New Zealand timber for purposes of wood pulp paper manufacture, may mean the establishment of a new industry in the Dominion. Sponsored by the Now Zealand Forestry Department, the work of investigation was commenced by the Bureau of Agriculture of the United States over a year ago. Last June, Mr Entrican left for the United States in order to personally supervise the work, and also to become familiar with commercial forestry methods abroad. II it proves possible to pulp New Zealand woods sufficiently well to open the way for the establishment of a

paper industry, the greatest problem now confronting forestry experts will he solved. New Zealand forests largely consist of tot.-ira. mill), rimu, and tail'll : hut while the totara is saleable al JOs per TOO feet, and the miro and rimu at from 20s to 10s. buyers will not take tawa as a gift, and in consequence this lumber is lelt in the forests to rot away. The importance of discovering some method of employing lawa for a iisolul purpose will he realised when it is known that, next to beech, tawa is our most common tree, and that we must have 20 to 10 millions of millahle feet of this lumber.

The work of investigation now being pursued by the Forestry Department thus is of the first importance and its successlul issue will result in great benefit to the Dominion. Jt is known that early reports from America were very favourable, and that in order fully to explore the possibilities of all extra shipment of tawa recently was sent to A\ ashington, while Air Entrican’s stay abroad was lengthened in order that he might he present through the whole investigation.