TIMBER INDUSTRY

Southland Times, Issue 20082, 20 January 1927, Page 6

TIMBER INDUSTRY

ELIMINATION OF WASTE DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS REQUEST FOR COMMISSION OF INQUIRY (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, January 19. A deputation from the Alliance of Labour, New Zealand Trades and Labour Councils Federation and the New Zealand Labour Party approached the Ministers of Customs (the Hon. W. Downie Stewart), Industries and Commerce (the Hon. A. D. McLeod) and Forestry (the Hon. 0. J. Hawken) this afternoon and urged the Government to set up immediately a Royal- Commission to inquire into the position and working of the timber industry of the Dominion. The Ministers of Labour and Internal Affairs were also present. It. was suggested the personnel of the Commission should include representatives of the timber workers, sawmillers, building trades, farmers and industrial organisations. Lengthy draft proposals in connection with the scope of the inquiry were presented, asking for information in much detail concerning the organisation of the industry in New Zealand, the capital invested, total wages paid, number of mills operating, profits and dividends of companies, stocks of timber at the mills and in yards, detailed cost of production of imported timbers and actual landed cost, selling prices, etc. It was submitted that the menace to the industry might be largely due to un economical and inefficient methods as an enormous proportion of waste between bush and consumer was admitted on all sides. The deputation asked for facts to be elicited so as to enable the waste to be eliminated and reorganisation effected. Replying to the deputation, the Hon. W. Downie Stewart said the Government realised the great importance of the problem affecting the industry. For some time past the Government had been collecting information on practically all the questions involved in the representations made by the deputation. He said he had foreseen when it was agreed that the tariff should be revised that one of the biggest questions that would loom up was in connection with the timber industry. He had conferred with the Minister of Industries and Commerce and the Minister in charge of the Forestry Department and they had agreed that the question was such a large one that a special investigation should be made immediately without waiting for actual sittings of the Tariff Commission. Officers of those departments therefore had been working for some months past, gathering all the information possible which primarily would be required in considering the tariff. He could see no reason why that information should not be used for the purpose of a special report on the broader aspects of the subject apart from tariff matters. The personnel of the Commission as proposed by the deputation, did not strike him as comprehensive. There were other sections of the community which might also claim representation, importers for instance. The Minister said he had given much thought to the form the Tariff' Commission should take and he had realised that from certain points of view there were advantages in having a sectional commission. He had come to think, however, that more satisfactory results could be achieved by a Commission of departmental experts than a Commission such as was suggested. Experience with commissions in the past seemed to show that where men of obvious interests were thrown together, the fight developed between them, each arguing his own standpoint. The Minister in charge of the Department of Industries and Commerce said he thought the Commission would serve a very useful purpose but not constituted as suggested. An economic commission was required and evidence could be obtained from all the sections affected. He considered a commission of three experts would be the best course to adopt. The Hon. O. J. Hawken stated that in America the services of experts were solicited. They went into the economical aspect and on their reports decisions were made. A layman was not capable of doing the work of an expert. Moreover, to get at the real facts, access must be had to confidential information. Mr Stewart said he would consider the deputation’s suggestion with his colleagues.