SAWMILLING INDUSTRY

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17986, 3 April 1930, Page 7

SAWMILLING INDUSTRY

COMPLAINTS AT MAMAKU. REPLY BY COMMISSION. WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The opinion that the sawmiiling industry in New Zealand is not in as difficult a position as has been made out in some quarters was expressed to-day by the Commissioner of State Forests, tlie Hon. W. B. Taverner. He referred particularly to recent (remarks attributed lo a well-known Mainaku sawmiller, who represented the present state of the industry as being the worst in Hie history of the country. The sawmiller was reported to. have said that a crisis had arisen in the Limber industry, and that if tilings did not improve many mills would have to be closed. " Most of us,” said the commissioner, ” are aware that the industry is not in as healthy a stale as it might be. Indeed, it is far from it. Nevertheless, facts indicate, that the depression which seL in during 1926 reached rock bottom last year. In 1925 production attained a record peak of over 350,000,000 ft board measure, but fell in 1926 to 307,000,000 ft, and to 270,000,000 ft in 1927. “ For all practical purposes, the production was ihe same in 1928 as in 1927, and judging from tlie monthly timber loadings reported by the Railway Department it will be as high for 1929, if not about 2 per cent, higher. This indicates a slight improvement in the volume of production. “ Reference lias been made lo alleged anomalies in the rail freights on timber,’’said Mr Taverner. "In this connection I may say that Hie subject of timber rates generally, as compared with modern practice abroad, is now being studied toy Hie State Forest Service, and in my dual capacity as Minister of Railways and Commissioner of State Forests I expect to have the matter reviewed some time during the next financial year.” ‘