TIMBER COMMISSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 87, 8 May 1909, Page 2

TIMBER COMMISSION.

SfTTIXfI IK AUCKLAND. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland. Vriday. Tlie Tiaiher Commission conuneueed in Auckland last evening, and was eontinned this morning. R. Phclan, representing the Timber Workers' Virion (1800 ineinliers) said II:! mills in the Auckland district produced over 212 million super, feet of timber voarlv. There were 21153 men employed in tlie mills, exclusive v i bnsunien. lie estimated that the amount of standing timber in the district was (in millions of super, feet) as follows.-—Kauri 373. riniu !Ki:l. kahikatea 042. totara 100. nnttai RIO, miseellanoous ]3l millions. Dcducling the year's output, he estimated the total was 4842 million super, feet, equal to about nineteen years' supply. There was a slum]) in the indnsIry, but kauri was not affected. He did not believe it possible to conserve kauri 'forests, as the land was move valuable than the timber on it. Export dulv on kauri would kill |be country mills, and royalties and freights should be uniform throughout the' Dominion. In the pa*'! ten years the eo>l of milling limber had increased from 25 to 35 per cent. He believed in State sawmills and the regulation of tlie price of timber by a Parliamentary Committee.