TIMBER INDUSTRY

Hokitika Guardian, 4 October 1928, Page 8

TIMBER INDUSTRY

A STATE LABORATORY? BUILDERS’ VIGOROUS OPPOSITION. CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 3. Some trenchant observations on <» Government proposal to establish a forest products laboratory were made at a meeting of the Canterbury Builders’ Association last evening when a circular letter marked “private and confidential” from the secretary of the New Zealand Federated Builders’ and Contractors’ Association of Employers was received. The question w r as raised whether, in view of the importance of the subject and the attention that it has ibeen commanding, the writer had (i right to mark it “private and confidential” and after a brief discussion it was decided to deal with it in open meeting. The letter was as follows: THE PROPOSALS. “I have to advise that the Government has now under consideration the establishment of a forest products laboratory and in connexion therewith the following information is supplied : “1. From the inception of the Forest Service back in until his resignation, the Director of Forests, Mr L. Macintosh Ellis, urged upon the Government the necessity of establishing a forest products laboratory, which would ibuild up a practical science of wood use and assist to stabilise the forest industries: “2.? The oustanding projects to be initiated by such a laboratory are kiln drying, wood preservation, and timber testing. The necessity of making adequate provision to study these subjects has been recognised by all timber-producing and wood-using industries, which have from time to time presented to the Government resolutions, etc., urging; the establishment of dry kilns, etc., for the experimental work. ;j “3. The Government has on various occasions indicated its intention to install the necessary experimental equipment and has for several years made provision for same in its estimates. ’ “4. Pending, however,' the visit of its engineer to similar institutions abroad, the Government delayed the establishment of the laboratory!’ ‘ “5. With the return of the engineer in forest products after extensive experience in other countries, the laboratory should be established immediately. i' : ' ' 1 i : ‘6. The laboratory will return its establishment and operating costs immediately* by making available to the industries and the public for the first time proper seasoning and kiln drying methods and allowing the local woods to compete on an equal basis with imDorted timbers. Many of our local hardwoods too will become available for many uses hitherto impossible. Similar economies will result from the development of cheap methods of preserving woods against; decay and against insect attack. ; ( " “7. The Government should be able to finance the whole of the proposals, especially as it has received* since the last revision of the tariff an additional £50,000 from the increased duties oil imported timbers.”

If it is desired that the Government’s decision should be favourable, it will he advisable for local associations to write immediately to the Prime Minister supporting the prooosal to establish a forest products laboratory and urging its establishment. Tlie views of local associations will no doubt be of great assistance to the Prime Minister in arriving at a decision in respect of the proposals t may state that the Federation executive has not had an opportunity of. considering the matter and in view of its urgency will not be able to do so. For that reason the president, Mr W. Parkin, has instructed me to refer the matter to local associations for individual.action.

' “COST EXCESSIVE.” Mr J. W. Graham then moved: — “That in the opinion of the Canterbury Builders’ Association, there is absolutely no need for the establishing of a forest products laboratory, as private enterprise has already extensively experimented with and has established kiln drying methods. Further that the cost of the Forest Department to the country is excessive, aiid its activities should he reduced and not extended.” Mr Graham added that the information supplied to the Association stated definitely that it was the late Director of Forests who a sired for the establishing of a Forest Produce laboratory and they were not aware that the request had ever been made by builders, who were the largest users of timber in this country. T.t was also suggested that the laboratory would make available local timber which would be able to compete with imported timber, but he could safely claim that if there Were fewer restrictions imposed on sawmillers by the Forestry Denartment, the timber industry would not be in the depressing state that it was in to-day.

“ALARM TNG GR.OWTH. ’ ’ “We all know that private enterprise already provides facilities for kiln drying in many parts of the country,” the speaker said, “and the officers of the Forestry Department, when lecturing on kiln drying in these rooms, agreed that air drying is cheapen than kiln dryng, and very few will say that kiln-dried is superior to air-dried timber. This letter

also states that the laboratory will return operating costs, but they do not say how. We can only therefore assume that it is by the Department making still anothePtrading branch and competing with private enterprise on the most unfair terms. This Government Department is continuing to grow in a most alarming manner, and this suggestion that it will be able ■to finance the proposal by using the £50,0(X) obtained by the Government by the increased duties on timbers, is a most preposterous suggestion, and is typical of the unfair methods employed by the Government Trading Department. A few years ago this same Forestry Service enlarged its activities in the raising of trees, by selling its young trees on the market at the same rates as charged by nursery men but, later on, aided by its exemption from the usual overhead cost, which private enterprise has to provide f°>', and aided by the large revenue from timber royalties, has been selling below the cost of production and is driving private individuals out of business. SAWMILLING. “This history of State sawmilling is similar. After spending or wasting very many thousands of pounds in sawmilling, the Department concerned was ignoring the cost of production and endeavouring to sell timber on the open market by offering laigei discounts off price lists than sawmillers were able to sell at. To get. rid of their output they '"'ere freighting logs from Oliakune to Hamilton, and then railing sawn timber from Hamilton to Petoue. a distance of over 400 miles, and this was a typical manner in which they were conducting their business. i‘ M Although, in my opinion, this unfair competition is very largely the cause of unemployment in .our industry, it seems useless, at present, appealing to those- in authority to curtail their activities, but we can, however, emphatically protest* against al new proposals, not only in our own interest, but for the benefit of all taxpayers.” • NEW ZEALAND TIMBER. POOR ? Mr W. H. Winsor said that he knew that there were many who would disagree with him, but he was of opinion that the sooner, they used up all the New Zealand timber with the one exception of kauri, and .used imported timber, the better it would be. for the country. He bad come to the conclusion, that New Zealand timber was not of much good arid lie strongly supported the motion,j contending that another woulcl entail a great and needless expbhse' to tlie country. ’ it was the contention of Mr ’3i .fcregg' that if‘ a; good ' labbratary were erected by the Government to consider tile best way .of kiln drying our timbers, the result would be of great value to New Zealand. .The air drying process, he .said, had not been a success. As to the quality of New Zealand timber he disagreed with Mr Winsor and believed that before very many years New Zealand would he putting exotic timbers quite as good as any in Ameirich. | Another serious problem, too/' for New Zealand was ihe wood boreg and there was hardly A house 20. years old ! that did not show evidence of its presence. If a laboratory could discover anything to make timber resist the borer it would mean that New Zealand timber would increase ever so much _more in- value, ijtunu, for instance, was an extremely good timber and could be exploited on the Melbourne market and add millions a year to the value of our products. He vigorously opposed the motion, which, however, was carried. It was decided to forward a copy of the resolution to kindred associations.