C.-3

6

Imports of Softwoods into New Zealand from Canada and United States of America for the Calendar Years 1922-25.

Graph of Importations of Softwood Lumber from Canada and United States of America for the Calendar Years 1922-25.

With the highest per capita consumption sinee 1910 importations, like local production, reached a new peak. Falling prices, too, and a wider knowledge of the properties of foreign softwoods contributed to this unprecedented invasion of New Zealand markets; the result is, unfortunately, a displacement of our own excellent building-timbers. During the latter part of the period under review these heavy importations have had a depressing effect on New Zealand's sawmill industry, which provides employment for nearly eight thousand men, and pays out approximately two million pounds sterling per annum in wages. The industry is now endeavouring, by improved manufacturing methods and by more efficient distribution, to meet, in a measure, this alarming influx of foreign timber, and to render greater selling service to its customers. The Forest Industry op New Zealand. There are at least four hundred sawmills in New Zealand producing 360 million feet b.m. of timber annually. Of this output a total of 79 million feet b.m. (22 per cent.) was cut from State Forests, and the proportion exploited is so increasing that within ten years it will be at least 75 per cent. At the 31st March, 1925, the forested lands held for milling in the Dominion were 361,000 acres (40,000 acres had been cut during that year), whilst the average yield per acre was 7,100 ft. b.m. The State, in ten years, will be the chief landlord as regards supplies of exploitable raw material. Marching with the times and economic trends, the exploitation, manufacture, and distribution of forest-produce in New Zealand is evolving along lines which must result in the rendering of cheaper and more efficient service to the consumer, and the meeting of overseas competition. The principal changes are — (1.) In the use of heavier and more powerful logging equipment in haulers, locomotives, steel rails, and rolling*stock. (2.) Finer-gauged saws in mills ; wider use of gang-saws, Canadian type head-rig mills, faster planer-feeds, live rolls, automatic saw-grinding machines, improved transmission, and better housing.

(Expressed in terms of feet board measure.) Totals from Canada. U.S.A. Canada and s P ecie8 ' — r , 1 UtJmfto 1022. I 1923. 1 1924. 1925. 1922. 1923. j 1924. 1925. S °i926 Pri1 ' Douglas fir .. 3,069,000 5,880,000 9,133,000 7,940,000 824,0001,881,0004,696,000 9,167,000 4,881,000 Cedar.. .. 20,000 50,000 567,000 2,870,000 .. .. 684,000 3,638,000 2,987,000 Hemlock .. 200,000 631,000 1,439,000, 2,855,000 .. 5,000 148,000 813,000 1,940,000 Spruce .. .. 3,000 573,000 579,000 .. .. .. 572,000 1,869,000 Other.. . . 586,000 203,000 100,000 70,000 821,0001,062,0001,304,000 1,676,000 1,000,000 Totals .. 3,875,000 6,767,000 11,812,000 14,314,000 1,645,000 2,948,000 6,832,000 15,866,000 12,677,000 Total, Canada and United States : 1922, 5,520,000 ; 1923, 9,715,000 ; 1924, 18,644,000 ; 1925, 30,180,000.