TIMBER COMMISSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 102, 27 May 1909, Page 3

TIMBER COMMISSION.

WELLINGTON SITTINGS.' By Telegraph.—Press Association. * Wellington, Wednesday. Giving evidence .before the Timber Commission to-day, Mr. James McKenzie, Commissioner of Crown Lands, Wellington, estimated the timber supplies in liis district would last ior 40 years. Timber was growing on 2,016,000 acres, and he estimated there was) something like 12,800,000,000 superficial feet** on it. There were 88 sawmills in the district, and the industry employed 1605, hands. Witness urged that the waste lands should be planted, also that the Government should hold on to its timber lands and have its own mills.

Mr. A. C, Koch, District Railway Engineer, Wellington, deposed that New Zealand timbers were too soft lor sleepers on which ther e was fairly heav£ traffic.

■Mr. Morris, member of the Commission, said he believed that birch sleepers could be obtained on the West Coast for 2s Od, possibly 2s 3d. •Mr. Koch said he had heard the Government was going to shut down >n imported sleepers, 'l'nriri. was good timber for sleepers, but it was difficult to get large quantities. Heart of kauri would not last for sleepers. ' Wellington, Last Night. William Hopkirk, timber merchant, said the average profit made by a merchant had never been unreasonable or exorbitant. The trade was particularly slack in Wellington, owing chiefly to the financial stringency. Sales "wee being made at prices which could not pay. He denied that the increased cost of timber, was responsible for high rents and the advance of \ house property. There was nothing in the nature of'a combine to fleece the people excessive profits'. New Zealand timber supplied to-day was practically the same as that supplied twenty year's ago. He favored afforestation. Timber was verv cheap to-day, being 9s 6d to 12s Cd per "100 feet.

William JleKane, managing secretary oi the Wairarapa Sawmillers' Association, said the preseut depression in the milling industry was caused to some extent by tile tightness of the money market. The importations of OregM had deprived mills connected with his Association of orders for hundreds of thousands -pf feet of Xew Zealand timber. Hie Association put through 2,909,890-feet legs for the year ended February last than for the previous year, meaning a loss of £14.848; alsi, at 2s (id freightage, a loss to the railways Ot £3712. There were about 200 ffWSL ■*» employed in sawinilling in the Wairarapa and Hutt Valley than a year ago. It was an'urgent matt»r tp fcaye a further duty on Oregon immediately.

J. Reardon, Trade Union secrctarv and e x-sawmill worker, advocated a pro! tective duty. Milling was a primary industry and qne which paid higlj wages. The Timber Commission sat asain tonight

Mr. C. C. Odlin, timber merchant, said Jus Arm had contracts stuck up through inability to get big timber in. New Zealand millers were now selling timber below cost. Oregon came into competition With kauri to the extent of aiiout S per cent. He sold Oregon and had hair a million feet.

Further evidence will be taken to morrow.