H.—24

X

(8.) Its Landed Cost (showing Freight and Charges separately from Cost-price). Investigations and evidence given before the Commission have supplied the following particulars, which appear to be fairly accurate, and typical of the recent importations of Oregon timber. The figures relate to " rough Douglas fir " (Oregon pine) of merchantable quality : — Auckland Landed Cost (per 100 sup. ft.). —A shipment purchased on the 16th June, 1908, and subsequently landed in New Zealand, gave the followingdetails :— s. d. C.i.f. at Auckland ... .... ... ... ... 7 6 Customs duty ... ... ... ... ... 2 0 Wharfage and cartage ... ... ... ... 0 9 Labour at wharf, handling, and stacking in yard ... 1 6 11 9 The rates in May, 1909, were about 2s. per 100 sup. ft. higher, whilst a further extra charge (equal to 10 per cent, on c.i.f. prices) is required to be added when ordering long lengths. The base price of Oregon pine seems to have fluctuated considerably between March, 1908, and May, 1909, and to have increased from about $10 per 1,000 sup. ft. (or about 4s. per 100 sup. ft.) to per 1,000 sup. ft. (or about ss. 3d. per 100 sup. ft.), and at the present time Oregon timber 4 in. by 10 in. in lengths of from 16 ft. to 32 ft., would be invoiced at $13-£ per 1,000 sup. ft., whilst timber 5 in. by 18 in. in the same lengths, would be $16 per 1,000 sup. ft., and timber 4 in. by 6 in. in lengths of from 10 ft. to 15 ft. would be $12£ per 1,000 sup. ft. To arrive at the landed cost, the freight and duty must be added. Freight has varied from 255. to 375. 6d. per 1,000 sup. ft., the last quotation being 30s. per 1,000 sup. ft. to Auckland or Wellington, and 355. to Napier, Christchurch, and Dunedin. A bank charge of If per cent, must also be added. The present cost in Auckland, taking as base per 1,000 sup. ft., would be about ss. 6d. per 100 sup. ft., and 10 per cent, must be added for long lengths, whilst the freight is 3s. per 100 sup. ft., exchange amounts to about 2d., the Customs duty is 2s. per 100 sup. ft., and landing-charges, wharfage, cartage, stacking, and handling in the yard require to be added. The figures just given apply to full cargoes of not less than 1,500,000 sup. ft. Wellington Landed Cost (on timber 16 ft. to 32 ft. in length, and from 2 in. by 3 in. to 6 in. by 8 in. in size). — s. d. In January, 1908, the c.i.f.e. base price was 11 0 per 100 "sup. ft. „ August, „ „ 8 0 „ October, „ „ 7 2 „ „ November,,. „ 7 6,, „ January, 1909, „ 7 5-,, Note.—On an average specification, the addition in cost on base price is about 12-| per cent. The freight charged and included in the above figures ranged from 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d. per ]00 sup. ft., whilst insurance and exchange averaged 3\ per cent, of the base price. The wharfage charges in Wellington are, without labour, 3d. per 100 sup. ft., the charge for labour being an additional 3d. Lyttelton Landed Cost. —The cost f.o.b. Vancouver, per 1,000 sup. ft., has ranged from $10 to $15, whilst exchange has varied from 4-60 cents to 4-90 cents, and the freight to Lyttelton from 255. 6d. to 85s. per 1,000 sup. ft., but other charges are not available. The landed cost appears to have been as follows :— C.i.f. price . . .. .. From 7s. to Bs. per 100 sup. ft. Customs duty '.. 2s. per 100 sup. ft. Haulage and wharfage .. Is. 6d. per 100 sup.'ft. Or a total of about 11s. 6d. per 100 sup. ft. Dunedin Landed Cost appears to have been the same as Lyttelton.