ADVERTISING RIMU

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 894, 11 February 1930, Page 12

ADVERTISING RIMU

AUSTRALIAN MILLERS WATCH N.Z. TIMBER DOMINION’S INTERESTS New Zealand millers should send a representative to Australia to watch their interests in the Commonwealth. This is the advice given by Mr. J. J. O’Brien, a well-known timber merchant, ot Auckland, who returned yesterday by the Niagara after a trip to Australia. Mr. O’Brien mentioned the interest Commonwealth sawmillers are taking in New Zealand timber and he says there is a possibility that an Australian company will be formed to take over a big area in the Bay of Plenty.

He said he went to Australia empowered to deal with the Matakina land and timber property. This is an area of 17,000 acres of freehold property on which there is estimated to be 400,000,000 superficial feet of timber, including rimu, matai, white pine, totara, rata and tawai (Neiv Zealand oak). The port of shipping will he Tauranga.

Mr. O’Brien remarked that the cabinetmakers of Sydney are impressed with the beauty of New Zealand oak and he would not be surprised to learn of this timber bringing higher prices than sap rimu. Heart of rimu was not much known in Australia, but he felt sure that the beauty and lasting qualities of this timber would be recognised before long, especially as Queensland maple, like New Zealand kauri, was getting scarce.

The Architects’ Institute in Sydney has had two doors, made of Mew Zealand rimu, placed in its rooms so that all architects and builders, as well as the general public, can see them at any time.

“I think the sawmillers of New Zealand should send a representative to Australia to watch their interests,” continued Mr. O'Brien. “There is no duty on rough timber from New Zealand, but on dressed timber there is a duty of 12s Gd a 100 superficial feet. This is quite acceptable to our millers who do not wish to send dressed timbers to Australia, as that would be interfering with the work of timber merchants there.

j “A Canadian delegation is at present doing its utmost to have the duty on Canadian timber reduced or removed. They intend to see Mr. Scullin and the Cabinet, and to do all in their power to have their way. It is up to New Zealand sawmillers to send over a representative to take immediate action and place their case before the Australians.” Mr. O’Brien found that there was a good deal of depression in Sydney, but hopes of a settlement of the coal strike. Money was hard to get and there seemed to him to be a great deal of poverty and unemployment. ! The timber business in Australia could hardly be worse. Mr. O’Brien was present at the reception given Mr. Chichester, the New Zealand airman, after his flight from England. It was wonderfully enthusiastic.