Cartage Considered Cheaper Than Erection of Mill

Taranaki Daily News, 1 September 1942, Page 6

Cartage Considered Cheaper Than Erection of Mill

Whether it paid the company to cart pinus insignis logs from Tataraimaka to Eltham, or whether a subsidiary mill should have been erected there, was a question asked at the annual meeting of the Egmont Box Co. Ltd. at Eltham yesterday. The chairman, Mr. T. A. Winks, replied that it would not have paid to erect a mill, and there would also have been difficulties in providing accommodation for workers. When the questioner asked if the company could carry on with cartage under the present transport problems of petrol nnd tyres, Mr. Winks said the matter was largely out of the directors' hands, because the Timber Controller paid the extra cartage costs involved. "Because it is an essential industry, and the material is so necessary, we will carry on regardless of cost," he added. Directors re-elected were Messrs. R. B. Sutton, E. T. Burke and F. Parsons. and Mr. J. S. Hickey, Opunake, was elected to the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. R. B. Fleming. Mr. H. A. Lennon was re-elected auditor. References were made to the services of Mr. G. Diver, who was general manager for 23 years, and who retired through ill-health. He was granted six months' leave of absence on full pay. At a suhsequent meeting of the directors, Mr. Winks was re-elected chairman and Mr. Sutton deputy-chairman. Mr. H. H. Spurdle was appointed secretary, after having acted in that capacity since Mr. Diver's retirement.