BUTTER BOXES.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 June 1917, Page 8

BUTTER BOXES.

A SUBSTITUTE FOR WHITE PINE. (from Our Own Correspondent). Wellington, Friday. The members of the Board of Trade, who have been studying the butter box problem in the South Island, are impressed by the possibilities of red birch, which is very plentiful in Southland. Speaking your correspondent to-day, one of the members of the Board said ■that the time, had come to face the fact that the exhaustion of the supplies of white pine timber was in sight. Factories were already complaining of increasing prices, but the Reduction of prices, even if such a thing were possible, would not solve the problem. The simple fact was that the white pine timber had been used and exported in enormous quantities and the remaining supplies would suffice for a few years only. A substitute was necessary.* Experiments had shown tha\ the red birch, still very plentiful in Southland, could be used successfully for butter boxes. The timber was darker in color and heavier in weight than white pine, and it could not easily be obtained-in large sizes. But the butter box l industry i did hot demand large sizes and the difI ference in weight was not important. The red birch timber would not inpart any flavor to the butter and it was easily handled. The members oMhe Board have gath ; wed some information also regarding pinis insignis timber which lias been used experimentally for butter boxes in Canterbury. It appears that this timber, which grows very rapidly and is already , widely planted in various parts of New Zealand, could be. used for boxes, though general opinion is not unanimous Regarding its suitability. A good deal of pinis insignis is bqing cut in Canterbury and used for rough building, i ============