RAISING SUBMERGED TIMBER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 26

RAISING SUBMERGED TIMBER.

A NOVEL INDUSTRY. (Fsom Ouk Own Corhespondext.) . AUCKLAND, August 19. Quite a new phase of industry has bee: t commenced along the great Northern Wairoa River, the greatest waterway at this end of the Dominion, and navigable for 90 miles by small crafts, and for jieaTly 40 by deep-sea-going vessels. It •has been discovered that dredging, not for gold, but for timber, is quite, a profitable occupation. During recent year* considerable employment has been given to the Wah-oa rafting fleet in the* raising of sunken logs. During the last 20 years millions of logs have been rafted down to the various mills, and since the inception of the white pine trade it has been common knowledge that 'many hundreds of kahikatea logs have disappeared to the river bed. In places_ these derelicts proved objectionable,, and even dangerous to shipping, and at the instance of the Marine Department millowners organised 6teps far the recovery and removal of- the obstructions. When buoyed lip they were conveyed to the mills, when it was found that their submersion had not in the elightest degree militated against soundi>ess. the only drawback being a more or less discolouration in the wood. The salvage of this hitherto deemed lost property was then pushed on apace, with the result that so far over 500 white pine and totara logs have been converted into commercial lumber. Buit the work brought to light a feature totally unexpected. During the many great freshes which have occurred in the .Wairoa. logs were swept down into tihe ocean basin of the Kairpara estuary, and in many cases out to sea, and only rare instances occurred of mon-flotaible black-hearted kauris. Whilst engaged in lifting the white pine sinkers in the various booms, the rafters were surprised to discover a wealth of kauri logs more or less submerged in the -thick, sticky mud, which is such a pronounced eyesore between the tidal rise and fall. A continuation, of the work has resulted in over 500 fine, sound kauri barrels being recovered, worth considerably over £1000. Borne of them, according to their brands, which are distinctly decipherable, were rafted some 50 years ago, and are in a perfect state of preservation. The branding hammers in those days must have been mammoth affairs, for" in letters an inch long are set forth the full titles of the mills, with their locations, even to the details that they are situated in Kaipara, New Zealand. The success attained in saving these logs has led to the prosecution of the nrork, and when it has

ended, the Wairoa River will have been robbed of much more of her water-hidden wealth.