"Will Stabilise Timber Industry”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 415, 25 July 1928, Page 16

"Will Stabilise Timber Industry”

NEW GRADING SYSTEM NATIONAL BY-LAWS WANTED “The new grading system will help, in the near future, to stabilise the timber industry,” said Mr. E. Phelan, secretary of the Tim-ber-Workers’ Union, to-day. “But pressure should be brought on all local bodies to give effect to the scheme.” Mr. Phelan, who attended the meeting with the Timber Committee, said that, in his opinion, the committee had been responsible for some good work. His impression was that the Government had made an honest attempt to assist the industry and at the same time to protect the interests of the general public. “Stupid” regulations prohibiting the export of the lower-grade timbers had been completely removed. The scheme submitted to millers and merchants provided that in the future only sawmills adopting the uniform grading system would be eligible to cater for the requirements of the Government. In return for this service the committee would recommend that only New Zealand timbers should be specified or allowed by the departments concerned. It was anticipated that so long as prices of New Zealand timbers remained reasonable, the exclusive use of the produce of New Zealand mills would become general and would be given preference over any imported timber or imported wood substitute. “That is a considerable concession,” said Mr. Phelan, “but it is to be regretted that the classifications are not made compulsory.” The classifications as submitted by t.he committee were only made by way of recommendations to be adopted or not, as the sawmillers thought fit, At present there was nettling to protect the user in general classification and quality. Instruction should be given to all local bodies to adopt the classification. Even though the millers decided to adopt the recommendations the local body building by-laws at present prohibited the giving of effect to the scheme. To overcome the difficulty national building by-laws must be introduced. The work of the committee was to be commended and only slight alterations were necessary in definitions. “One serious omission I regret to find,” he continued. “It is absolutely essential to protect the interests of the public still further that there should be seasoning regulations. No mention is made of these.” Summing up the system, Mr. Phelan said that it would certainly create more use for local woods and give employment to more men, and it would also give the public some protection.