SCARCITY OF WHITE PINE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 55, 26 March 1901, Page 3

SCARCITY OF WHITE PINE.

PUR rwcss

Wellington, March 23.

The Jndusbral Association entertained JUfsrs R. Hvniiah and T. Hallinger, who siv about to visit England, at a farewell dinrer last night. Among the speakers was Mr Chalmers, a leading ceopcr and manufacturer of butter boxes, who referred t'j the fact that enormous quniititi.-s of white pine were being destroyed every year, in tho Wairarapa alone thouands of acres having been destroyed, which, if standing to-day, won'fl ba valuable. He had been assured by an Argentine merchant, who had tried a grout many varieties of American timber, that for butter boxes nothing was found to suit like New Zealand ■white pir.e. Ths speaker 'stated that in Wellington alono 200,000 cases were annually made from this timber. Wellington, March 25. Mr. Bea'-tio, Secretary of the National Dairy Association, visited the Minister of Linda to-day with refeivnco to the scarcity of white pine for butter boxes. He said some millers were sending the timber away to Australia at 3s 9d per 100 f t, as against 6s 6d charged in N«w Zealand, Ho asksd whether the Government could not interfere in the matter. Mr. Duncan did not fee that, the Government could interfere with millers, but promised, with a view of conserving the forests, to get the v.irions Oiimir.iss oners of Ciovn Lands to report on areas ft,ill available. In selling white pine land at Dannevirke la'e'y ho had iriima'ed that purchaser? woul I not be required 1o clonr oil'timber wish the usual rapidity, but would ba allowed time to utilise tha bush for milling purpose?, and the s«m® conditions would <-Isnwhcro.