HARDWOOD TIMBER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 80, 21 August 1912, Page 2

HARDWOOD TIMBER.

THE RAILWAY RATE. ! Isy Telegr>M)li-—Presa Association. Wellington, Tuesday. A number of members of the House of Representatives, representing .country districts, waiter! on the Minister of; Railways to-day and discussed tlve question of the extra rate charged «n imported hardwood timbers. The deputation urged that injustice had been done,' to the country, as against the town, by tlio. existing rates, and that, instead', of charging a rate, and a-half, a duty should, if it was thought necessary, be charged on the timber itself on arrival; then the towns and country would be on the same footing.. If a man bought hardwood timber here to make gate 3 he was. charged half rates extra for railing, but if the gates were made here; they were railed away at the usual rates. The Minister explained that the extra charge was put on at a time when, there was a large influx of Oregon pine into New Zealand. It was then represented to Parliament that the timber was cut by cheap Chinese or Japanese labor, and brought oier by tramp steamers not subject to our maritime laws, and that our best milling trade would suffer. As far as Oregon pine was concerned, he did not think he could hold out any hope of reducing the irate, but be admitted the deputation had made out a fairly good case in regard to hardwood. Ha promised to go carefully into the matter.