ROTORUA BATH-HOUSE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 934, 29 March 1930, Page 10

ROTORUA BATH-HOUSE

TIMBER SUPPLIES NOT AVAILABLE I WORK BEING DELAYED Eighty thousand feet of heart timber is on order, but it cannot be supplied, although the sawmills are only a few miles away. This sums up the position with which the Public Works Department officials engaged in the construction of new bath-houses and a sanatorium at Jtotorua, ire confronted, and is quoted by Mr. P. Willoughby, of Monoghan Avenue, Mount Albert, as an effective answer to the agitation by representatives of tho Saw millers’ Assoc iation for an embargo on the importation of foreign timber. At a recent conference between the sawmillers ami timber merchants, insistent demands were made for the Government to protect the timber industry in the Dominion by prohibiting the importation of American softwoods, particularly cedar and redwood. It was claimed Xew Zealand millers i ad ample supplies of suitable lumber in their yards and could not dispose of it. Mr. George Gammon, a prominent sawmiller and representative of the industry, is quoted as saying he had 2.000,000 ft. of timber in his yards and was unable to sell it. Seeking a job, Mr. Willoughby, who is carpenter by trade, states that with another workman ho approached the foreman and clerk of works on the Rotorua undertaking, and was first asked if their names were registered. On making inquiries he found that between 30 and 40 carpenters, beside many labourers, had their names on the list awaiting a job. The Public Works Department officials stated that all these carpenters could bo absorbed immediately on the work if the timber were available. Over SO.oooft of heart timber was on older, and although the sawmills were virtually “at the door,” it could not be obtained. The applicants were further informed that the framework of the bath-houses should be completed by this time but for the delay in obtaining supplies. Mr. Willoughby says it may be true tliat millers have large quantities of timber in their yards, which they arc unable to sell, but he contends that it is not heart, principally rimu, which is required for this practically all-timber work. Cedar and redwood, coming into Xew Zealand from overseas, replace tho heart timber that is required, but is apparently not available immediately in sufficient quantities from local sawmills. It was further stated that men who had registered for work had been compelled to wait at least a fortnight before there was sufficent timber to start them.