TIMBER INDUSTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 3 July 1928, Page 1

TIMBER INDUSTRY

EXPORTS AND IMPORTS

DECREASE IN BOTH

WELLINGTON, June 28,

Tile first official figures of timber imports since fhe operation of the new tariff show that it has not affected foreign soft woods to the degree expected. Douglas fir, the largest of the American Pacific woods to enter the country, has fallen off by 1,000,000 feet in the last five months, but this is not a great difference when it is remembered that the 1927 importations of this class of timber were the biggest in its history, and topped 1926 by a great deal. . Redwood has fallen off by 570,000 feet, and cedar by '120,000 feet, but against this the importations of butter boxes have climbed from 395,000 feet to 591,000 feet, and hemlock and spruce has made a biggish jump from 327,000 feet to 861,000. The most striking decreases are in the hardwoods imports from Australia, these being down by almost 6,200,000 feet, a fact which is traced to the diminished number of public constructional works in hand during the past five months. The position summarised is that imports have fallen by 8,200,000 feet, of which hardwoods, which do not compete with New Zealand lumbers to any extent, account for over 6,000,000 feet. Exports have also fallen off by 2,000,000 feet, due to the shortage of white pine sent abroad. Every other wood which the Dominion exports showed an increase. Detailed figures are as follow:

2oSSo°S g>. • 8 5 SO§ g CO ■■ . • °CI O C to' O■- - J Q O O G 5 C) r/t "o tq -T O. s, ... 1 <M M >i 0> w o2£5S o© 2 2** 20000 <p s o o 2 . .5 0.005.0 0 o ® 3ft «sT ‘o'of 2 i-T io'« c> 5 3fS|gg§3g.gs S . g - ot PS : c O ’ : : : : • : : :.5 . & a • : : ': i jo> g «s. • -a : : £ c - ” ' :| Jg rS :;: & : : i « 5 ' ! :-s « M ".i • : c • <u c n~-3 i j§ P c g 1: § . o'-. ,° o J 1 I S 3O»o« S 3 CO S 3 w EXPORTS. January-Mny. 1927. 1928. Feet. Feet. White Pine .10,541,000 7,761,009 Rimu < 1,520,000 2,054,000 Kauri 621,000 843,000 Beech 705,000 760,000 Others 315,000 360,00 J Totals 13,702,000 11,792,000 The value of these exports are respectively £157,000 and £130,000,