TRIBUTE TO SAWMILL AND BUSH WORKERS

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5310, 24 January 1947, Page 6

TRIBUTE TO SAWMILL AND BUSH WORKERS

( Pres.t Assri.-

MINISTER'S PRAISE MAX'IMUM PRODUCTION IS EEIN'G MAINTAINED

—By Tclegraph — Copyright.)

WELLINGTON, Last Night. The majority of bush and sawmill workers throughout New Zealand are working considerably more than a 40-hour week, said the Commissioner oi' State Forests, Mr. Skinner, to-day. He paid tribute to the efforts of the sawmilling industry to mainiain production j at the maximum. He added that a survey made at the end of Oetober, covering 280 of the Dominion's 450 sawmills an 1 representing a true cross-section of the industry, showed that in 75 per eent. of bush operations. and ir. 63 per cent. : of the mills eovcred, 41 or more hours a week wore being worked. In many cases botb the b - and mill staff were wov'dng a IS-hour week. The o;»'4?'ators have indicated a general villingness to work extended hours ui tii the prerent aoute shortage of timbor is overlaken. Mr. Skinner said that though complete statistics were not yet available, fi«*ures fro.n certain districts indieated that tirnber ruoduetion for the yaar would be at least SoO.COO.i'iO board feet, an increa.se of 6,000,000 on ligures for the pievious yosr. • "Thai av.our.t of limber is admit*v«U\ b . )'•' :.—i a 1 1 demands," .!.• . ••> t tMdrg into cor.- .»••;: : • Oi aiills in op- : n> ; ov.er ditficulties 'k •? • • • ail-out — •' : • » • ' :■ :\V .-UKV a • 1 1 •. ' • :■ •>. rs.''"'Va ea will be required i' u ••a?.? i?.-i ■••id : arai fv,r new units in 1J--Th -.v.v-..n! sohv. t. biuc . grhe.re v*. Ti,. .j ; a,' .>L!ns:e., •h;. t: •■•oustt fction.