FORESTRY GROUP FROM N.Z.

Southland Times, Issue 24874, 14 October 1942, Page 5

FORESTRY GROUP FROM N.Z.

13 mills_opekated (Special Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 12. The New Zealand Forestry Group in England began with one mill m be P" tember 1940. Now it is operating id mills, 10 of which the members designed and erected themselves. In y are all different types. Some a Diesel powered and others use steam. Their total average weekly output is 400,000 super feet, the best week being 486,708 super feet. They are milling oak, chestnut, spruce, beech, larch, pme and elm. All the wood is handed over to the Ministry of supply and used io aeroplane parts, for the railways ana for the Navy’s requirements. The military forces are milling 80 per cent, of the wood produced in England today. The Australians are turning out slightly less than the New Zealanders. The Canadians are operating 40 mills, chiefly in Scotland, while English units are also milling. The New Zealand companies are working in three different districts and are directed by headquarters, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel J. G. Eliott, of Hawera, whose adjutant is Captain C. McManus (Auckland). The companies are commanded by Majors Courtney Biggs (West Coast), G. A. Gamman (Maaku) and D. V. Thomas (Hawke’s Bay). Major Biggs, with four mills in Hampshire and Sussex, has a mill 120 miles from his headquarters, adding to the problems or administration. The other companies mills are in Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Herefordshire. FRIENDLY ALIENS ATTACHED Some 500 friendly aliens are attached to the New Zealanders. There is a company of Spaniards, many of whom fought in the Civil War and at Narvik. There are also German, Austrian, Czech, Lithuanian and Rumanian refugees, in addition to Italian prisoners. Girls from the Forestry Corps measure the timber. This New Zealand forestry group is confronted with different problems from the ordinary run of timber millers work in the Dominion. For a start it is a military unit —and has to arrange for the men’s food, quarters and medical services. There are 120 road vehicles to maintain, in addition to keeping the mills working and repaired. The members of the forestry unit work under very different conditions from what they are accustomed to in New Zealand. They are mainly felling parkland or “gentlemen’s country, compared with the razor-backs in the New Zealand bush. They do not use tram-lines, for which reason all timber hauled from the woods is carted by road to the mills, often as much as 10 miles, but roading conditions are good and loads varying between 10 and 15 tons are easily lorried. In addition to cutting timber m the woods they are felling hedgerow timber and for this reason the men are working in many scattered areas. Much hedgerow timber has been used for forming fences. As a result the saws are often ripped on hidden nails and wire, giving the saw-doctor a full-time job. The logs are also hauled over flinty country, thus gathering up stones and taking toll of the saws, but the precaution is taken of hosing down the logs before milling. The New Zealanders use running water over the saws, a practice they alone adopt in England. This results in complications in the winter, when the pipes must be emptied over night to guard against frost bursting them. DISPOSAL OF SAWDUST The English weather results in more lost time than the New Zealand weather and the millmen are often waiting while the machinery thaws out during the winter. Constant care must be taken to clear yards of stacked timber and attention is paid to camouflage for sawn timber. Sawdust is easily discernible from the air. The disposal of sawdust is a problem here, as in New Zealand. It is mostly carted and dumped in pits, sometimes five miles away. The New Zealanders must also clear up the woods as the timber is felled, instead of burning the top branches, as in the Dominion. This reduces the felling, but helps, to provide pit props, while a proportion is burned for charcoal, which is used in the production of explosives. There is more millable timber in Britain than in New Zealand while royalties are higher. Thus oak fetches 22/- a hundred super feet. The latest mill the New Zealanders built was erected in five weeks. It was designed by Captain K. O. Tunnicliffe (Rotorua) and A. M. Collier and J. O. Gough (Manunui). It is built alongside a railway siding and is regarded as a model. It turns out an average of 36,000 super feet a week. Local army groups collect slab or waste wood for firing. Thus Major Bigg’s four- mills provide the army with 180 tons of slabs a week, which is valuable in view of the coal shortage.

CONTRIBUTION TO WAR EFFORT There is no doubt that the New Zealand group is contributing materially to Britain’s war effort, although the local people regret seeing the timber cut down. Thus one company is at present felling an oak forest planted at the time of the Battle of Waterloo to replace oak required for the British at the time of Trafalgar. This forest, although over 100 years old, is not really ready for felling. It should stand at least another 100 years, but in two months the New Zealanders have cut down an area of a mile and a-half by 200 yards. It will be cleared and replanted by the forestry girls. There is very close friendliness and co-operation between the group and the Ministry of Supply, also the Forestry Commission, which acquires the woods and supervises the disposal of the sawn timber.

UNIT’S__SPORTS SOUTHLAND"” SAPPERS’ SUCCESS (Special Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, October 12. Queen Mary presented the prizes at the New Zealand Forestry Units’ sports carnival at Chippenham. She sat in the grandstand and watched every event with the greatest interest. She was later photographed sawing a log with Sapper E. E. Bennett (Tuatapere). Her Majesty gave a prize comprising a set of silver teaspoons for the man winning the most points in the carnival. It was won by Sapper J. MacDonald (Invercargill) who was outstanding in the competition. Queen Mary was particularly interested in the sawing event and asked to see the slabs cut by the competitors. Her interest was probably fostered by the fact that she saws woods daily for use and for exercise. Her Majesty has taken the greatest interest in the 14th Company, which works in the neighbourhood of her home. She has entertained and visited them and has also arranged occasional dances and film shows. An interesting feature of the sports was the sawing competition by the Forestry Corps girls, who cut a 12-inch log in good time. Sapper W. G. Muir, of Invercargill, who recently had several successful fights, gave an exhibition of boxing with Sapper J. H. Brown (Auckland) and Lance-Sergeant Tinkler. Following are the results:— 12 Inch underhand Novice Chop.— Sapper MacDonald. 12 Inch Standing Shop.—Sapper R. Grundy (Auckland) 1, Sapper S. H. Barratt (Cambridge) 2. 12 Inch Underhand Chop—Sergeant R. R. Rye (Kiaua) 1, Sapper Bennett 14 Inch Standing Chop.—Sapper Grundy 1, Sapper Muir 2. Jigged Chop—Sapper Ronald Barratt