EXPERTS TO ASSIST

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 298, 11 August 1932, Page 3

EXPERTS TO ASSIST

MINISTER PROMISES HELP TO BEECH TIMBER INDUSTRY. INQUIRIES OVERSEAS. Consequent upon presonal negotiations with the Commissioner of State Forests (Hon. E. A. Ransom) by representatives of the beech timber industry in Otago and Southland, the Governm'ent has agreed to send one of its expert forestry officials to Great Britain in company with the sawmillers' representative for the purpose of making the fullest use of the opportunity that has lately presented itself for the establishnient of a lucrative export trade in baech between New Zealand and the motor body building industry of Great Britain. When Mr. J. R. Wilson (managing director of M'essrs. Andrew Sharpe, Ltd.) and Mr. R. Bauchop (chairman of directors of the Southland and Otago Co-operative Timber Company) returned to Dunedin, after conferring with members of the Ministry on the subjact, they said that complete satisfaction had been obtained. Their special request that Mr. R. J. Entrican (State forest products engineer) should be permitted to go to Great Britain with the sawmillers' representative was granted and both will leave for England as emissaries of the beech timber industry by the Tamaroa on August 20, arriving in Great Britain coincidentally with one of the trial shipments that have already been forwarded. Not only did the delegation secure the active co-operation of the State Forest Service, but in addition it was able to interest the Railway Board, the shipping companies, and the Dominion . Sawmillers' Federation to an extent that cannot fail to be of the greatest assistance -in the future. The importance of securing the services in an advisory capacity of Mr. Entrican, who was mainly responsible for the satisfactory outcome of negotiations in Australia in 1930, cannot be over-'estimated, and the permission that has now been granted by the Government for him to make the trip will set the seal on the h'opes and aspirations of those southern timber milfers who see in the export trade in beech an opportunity for 'benefiting not only the industry itself, but the Dominion as a whole. The inquiry for 9,000,000 feet which gave rise to the present aetivity with regard to beech emanated from the firm of Messrs. Briggs and Co., of Dagenham, near London, Ford car body manufacturers, but it is not anticipated that interest in beech will be confined solely to this section of the trade. There are makers of more expensive cars who require more timber in the construction of bodies, and there is no reason why these also should not be interested in the New Zealand hardwood provided it gives the satisfaction which it is expected to give in vi-sw of the highly favourable report made with regard to it by the Empire Forestry Commission. The extension of the trade to other firms will be one of the important matters which the industry in New Zealand will entrust to its representatives in England. It is of further interest to learn that it is intended to make endeavours to ->Iace orders for white pine for special purposes and also for matai for parquetry fiooring and other uses. This promises an additional development of export which should be of the greatst profit to the Dominion.