THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 2, 27 January 1909, Page 2

THE TIMBER INDUSTRY.

| liKJM.VTiOX LN UAIIAYAY FJil-ilillT* By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Tuesday, Replying u> a deputation »>f >uvwiniiK rs. wlm wevr asking for a I'l'diu--tion in railway freight- /or liiuht-r, tlie llun. .Miliar >aid it was nut iln* j

Xrei»)iu hut tin* lightness of money that- caused depression j n the industry. |lJuil(lhi«r wa-s not .specially active just .now, and it I lie, rale <►!' freight was reduced per hundred it would nut induce a revival. lie could make no promise, seeing thai a liuyal Commission would pro-

hiilily lie si t up in a few days in ropixt In I lie matter. All tin- iiil'oniiiitinil in tlic nf iho Department would lie placed liel'i.ie the Commission, whieli was necessary to lie done ill the interests of the industry.

t 11' conees.sion* wen: recommended they could (inly lie temporary, a* tho railways must lonti.iuc to )>ay tin* dividend they had l>eon paying. lie did not believe in making lhe general taxpayer pay lor the, umms of the rail--1 way, ami lie* did not, endorse the poiiey of earning freight at a l<»ss. Me hoped Ilw would suggest a method to put the timber industry on a better 'footiag without ii sacrifice to the rail* I way revenue. I

As liiOlefin pine, that was a mallei of police, and lie eould not commit hintself. Me'diiL not tliink Hull people would allow n prohibitory tariff to be imposed. The lion. Millar leaves on an inspection of the North Island railways tomorrow. He will travel to Auckland via New il'lyinoulli, reeeive various depiitalious en route, and return to flVelllmrloii via die .Main Trunk, coinineneliif.' an iiispeetiou of the South Island lines almost immediately.