FOREIGN TIMBER.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17973, 19 March 1930, Page 4

FOREIGN TIMBER.

INCREASING IMPORTS. MILLERS COMPLAIN TO PREMIER, PUBLIC MONEYS USED. The following letter has been forwarded to the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, at Rotorua, by the Sawmillers’ Timber Trading Co., Ltd.:—. “ The Right Hon. Sir Joseph' Ward, Prime Minister, Rotorua: —• At the annual meeting now being held at Hamilton of the Sawmillers’ Timber Trading 'Co., Ltd., representing the majority of sawmills in the North Island, grave dissatisfaction has been expressed at the failure of Government departments, public institutions and private individuals using Government loan ■money to carry out the definite instructions given by you to Cabinet Ministers and departmental heads in March, 1929, that New Zealand Umbers should be used in all works and buildings financed with public money. Government returns issued this month show a steadily declining output from New Zealand sawmills and a steadily increasing importation of foreign timber carried In foreign boats, manned by foreign crews ancl subsidised by foreign money. The direct effect of these increasing importations is an increase in the number of unemployed owing to shortening of hands in one of the principal wageearning industries of the Dominion and further reduced earnings of those in employment through shortening of working hours. The serious loss in operating revenue by the Railway Department, which "is due in no small measure to the displacement of New Zealand timbers by foreign importations, must now be apparent to you. The freight loss to the department is approximately 50/- per 1000 ft. This meeting strongly appeals to you as Prime Minister and head of the Government to enforce your instructions to Ministers and departmental heads to make compulsory the use of New Zealand Umber in Government works and buildings financed by loan money advanced by the Government, as unanimously recommended by the special Government timber committee. Unless action on the lines indicated is taken, further reduction in the number of workers in the industry is inevitable.—J. A. Bush, Chairman.”

IGNORED INSTRUCTIONS. A FLAGRANT INSTANCE. TIMBER OF RECEPTION DAIS. The following is a portion of a copy of a letter addressed to the Hon. Minister for Public Works by the secretary of the Dominion Federated Sawmillers’ Association, dated Wellington, March 17, 1930 : “ A'ou will probably remember that on March 8 of last year the Right Honourable the Prime Minister issued an instrucUon to all Government Departments, through the Ministers in charge of such departments, ‘ that wherever possible New Zealand Umbers lie given preference by Government Departments for departmental requirements, and for use in buildings constructed under State loans.’ We understand that this instrucUon was duly transmitted to the head of every Government Department, and, in tha main there have since been fewer instances of imported woods being used to the detriment of New Zealand industry. In some departments, however, there persists a seeming prejudice against the use of New Zealand Umbers by some officers; but whether this is due to sheer indifference or deliberate intent, it is difficult to judge. My object in writing you in the matter at this juncture is to draw your attention to the fact that imported Douglas Fir (Oregon) of most probable foreign origin, has been used for the erection of a dais and seating on the steps of the Parliament Buildings for the occasion of the reception and swearing-in ceremony of our new Governor-General. In view of the statements made by the late GovernorGeneral (Sir Charles Fergusson) in his many farewell messages, to tha effect that the people of the Dominion should support New Zealand industries, it seems quite incongruous that the people of New Zealand should be asked to receive the new Governor-General on seats made of foreign timber. My attention was drawn to the incident by an unfortunate sawmiller who happens to be In Wellington seeking orders in the hope of keeping his men employed, and his comment was that ‘ it would appear either that the Minister of Public Works does not appreciate the serious position of the timber industry, or his instructions to his officers have not been sufficiently explicit.’ It would be futile to suppose that the timber required for this work could not be supplied in New Zealand timbers, in suitable quality, lengths, and sizes, as there are at present all 100 heavy stocks of timbers at practically all the mills in the Dominion. Moreover, for' this particular work, which is of a temporary nature, the quality required is of that particular grade for which every sawmiller and timber merchant in the country is anxiously seeking a market. The query arises as lo how much imported and foreign timber is being used by the various Governmental agencies in other parts of the country, if the Ministerial instructions to departments can be so completely disregarded in such a glaring way as in the present instance, where the timber is being used in the very shadow of Ministerial offices. Another regrettable reflex of such occurrences as this one, is that the New Zealand industrialist can have little hope of securing the support of the ordinary citizen to the urgent necessity of carrying into effect tha plea to ‘use only New Zealand products,’ while the Government itself sets such a deplorable example.”