Using New Zealand Goods

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 784, 3 October 1929, Page 10

Using New Zealand Goods

Goal and Timber on Railways

THE SEN’S Parliamentary Reporter PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Today. IX the past year the New Zealand Railways Department has made tangible progress in its policy to use New Zealand material wherever possible. Just over ST per cent, of the coal absorbed on the lines last year was mined in New Zealand, and special facilities are contemplated for making possible the greatest use of Dominion-grown timber.

Results of the railways working during the past year, as disclosed by the presentation to Parliament yesterday of the Railways Statement, indicate that purchases of New Zealand goods have been made wherever possible, and that Empire products also comprise a substantial plank in the railway policy. Purchases within the Empire amounted to £2,434,077, and from other countries (principally United States of America! £53,258. Contracts were made for workshops machinery and electrical equipment totalling £103,736. of which £57,575 were placed within the Empire and £15,861 in other countries (mostly the United States).

The most significant advantage to New Zealand last year was the extended use of our own coal. Five years ago the railways used 23.16 per cent, of New' Zealand coal and 76.84 imported. For the year just completed New Zealand mined coal used on the lines comprised over 84 per cent, of the total. In his statement, the Minister, the Hon. "W. B. Taverner, said that the figures indicate that the quantity of New Zealand coal utilised during the past year amounted to the unprecedented figure of 356,724 tons, representing 54.25 per cent, of the total coal consumed. “It ■will also be noted,’’ he said, “that whereas in 1925 the total importations from overseas amounted to 313,107 tons, which represented a percentage of 7G.54 of the total consumption, this figure dropped in the year under review to 66,675 tons, or a percentage of 15.75. “It is very gratifying to be able to record that the department has been able to utilise the local product in an increasing ratio, thus assisting in the maintenance of one of our great national industries.”

The General Manager of Railways, Mr. H. H. Sterling, adds that the total consumption by the department for the year was 428,522 tons, Involving an expenditure of £735,215, or an average of £1 14s 3d a ton. The sums expended in the purchase of fuel were as follow:—lmported fuel, £132,136; New Zealand fuel, £576,136. The labour troubles in Australia have caused the department’s reserve stocks of hard coal to be seriously depleted; and, though the supplies of

New Zealand coal continued during the year to be satisfactory, the unsuitability of the local coal for storage purposes makes it essential that reserve stocks must be built up immediately, and every effort has been made to deal adequately with the situation. HOME-GROWN TIMBER Investigations have also been made by the departmental officers, in conjunction with the officers of the Forestry branch, with a view to a further utilisation of New Zealand timbers for rolling-stock purposes. These investigations, Mr. Sterling says, have shown that it is necessary to adopt a process of kiln-drying, in order to make it possible to make the fullest use of New Zealand timbers for these purposes. The reports also show that by treating such New Zealand timbers savings can be effected, apart from the benefit to the industry in the country. In the North Island the kiln-drying capacity required amounts to 1,000,000 sup. feet a year, and in the South Island 750,000 sup. feet a year. This amount would be purchased in New Zealand in place of timber now imported from Australia. “One of the principal difficulties the department has had to face in the past has been the procuring of properly seasoned timbers of suitable kind in re quired quantities. If the department were to undertake to air-dry its own timber it would necessitate largo stocks being held. Unfortunately, New Zealand timbers have a high rate of deterioration, and this would render the process of air-drying uneconomical. Added to this is the fact that some New Zealand timbers when air-seasoned are not suitable for our purpose, but become so when kilndried.

“By the expenditure of approximately £20,000 adequate facilities to kiln-dry the department’s requirements can be obtained, resulting in relatively small stocks being required to be kept on hand, better service in the finished product, decreased maintenance costs, and materially assisting a local industry that does not appear to be in a thriving condition.’*

Iron and steel contracts also were let within the Dominion, a fact which is expected to play its part in developing this industry.