THE TIMBER COMMISSION.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9441, 11 May 1909, Page 8

THE TIMBER COMMISSION.

A THOROUGHGOING PROTEOTION IST.

Per Press Association

Auckland, May 10. Giving evidence before the Timber Commission to-day fHerman Oonpe, manager of Tanpo Totara Sawmilling Company, said he did not think good -would result ftom an export .duty on kauri and white pine. He held that the timber industry required protection. An import duty on foreign timber of la per hundred feet wonld onlv increase the cost or. a cottage by £B. Tbe conservation of.bush in face of advancing settlement was impossible. If the import duty on Oregon pine was not increased many sawmills wonld bo closed, competition would be keener, and prices wo am advance. There should lie no free importation at ail not even of logs. David Goldie, timber merchant, of Auckland, stated that he did not consider that the present price of timber was excessive when the heavy expenses and risks of the millers were taken into account;. It was absurd to say the present slump was due to the high price of timber. It was folly to talk of conserving the kauri and ho ridiculed the idea of placing an export, duty on it. it would not save the kauri, as thousands of pounds worth were being destroyed every year by fire, The profit obtained on exported timber enabled the millers to pay the existing rate of wages. If an export duty was imposed, the millers wonld either have to reduce wages or stop milling to a largo extent. He did not think the import duty on foreign timber should be raised as Oregon pine was now to some extent taking tbe place of medium kauri, which was nowlhard to procure. He denied that there was a combine in the trade to*keep the price of timber op. They had an ' association which agreed np to a schedule of prices, but this had not been adhered to by all the members.