N.Z. TIMBER

Hokitika Guardian, 28 April 1933, Page 8

N.Z. TIMBER

STUDY OF BRITISH MARKETS After six months’ exhaustive study and investigation of the British hardwood market the two members of the New Zealand timber delegation, Mill. B.nmhop, representative cf the Dominion sawmillers, and Mr A. R. Entrican, of the State Forest Service, are now on their way back to New Zealand, having sailed by the Remuera, vhich is due at "Wellington on -May 13. Their visit Home has resulted in the dissenrination throughoutEngland of valuable information with respect to the timber resources of the Dominion which will bei available foxexport as soon as suitable arrangements can be made with the- British timber trade.

During their stay in the Old Country the delegation has been furnished with every possible (opportunity of meeting all kinds of'consuming interests at Home, and they are returning with a great deal of informfcaion con" reining the requirements and capacities of British manufacturing industries. Although the mission was primarily concerned with the marketing of New Zealand silver beech for motor' body building and other uses, the oc“ casion has been used to acquaint importers in England with the variety and type of the general timber resources of the Dominion. The delegation has also placed its ease before the Import Duties Advisory Committee, which had asked, for information with regard to available supplies of New Zealand silver beech, rimu, matai, white nine and tawa.

Although three of the woods, rimu, matai, and white pine, are coniferous or softwood timbers in the true sense of the term, being the product of needle or scale-leaved trees, they have, j along with kauri, been classed, both by His Majesty’s Customs- and the trade, as hardwoods, the basic reason for this probably being tbatj the-'re is comparatively little difference in each growth ring between the spring wood and summer wood, which differ so widely in most European and North American softwoods. Generally speaking, the woods have a gross texture and wear evenly similar to hardwoods, and will largely he used as substitutes for such, for flooring and other special uses. The other two timbers, silver beech and tawa, are yielded by broad-leaved trees and are, therefore, hardwoods in the true sens.' of the term. They also a rtf in conpetition with foreign hardwoods f-,/ motor-body and furniture manufacture, ilcoring, etc.