O—3a

Of this quantity, Australia received 71,313,000 ft. in 1947 and 54,376,000 ft. in 1948, while New Zealand received 15,362,000 ft. in 1947 and 6,768,000 ft. in 1948. In addition to the foregoing timber-production, a total of 87,406,000 ft. of logs was exported in 1947 and 163,000,000 ft. in 1948. At the time I was in Vancouver, details of the contract with Great Britain had just come to hand, and the industry was considerably concerned at the smallness of the allocations, and prices had receded $l7 per 1,000 b.m. It appeared evident that were it not for the dollar shortage and the restriction of imports into Australia, New Zealand would find it impossible to market Pinus radiata in Australia at current rates, and that the potential of the Canadian industry in the Australian market must be carefully watched. This was subsequently confirmed in Australia on my return, hemlock being quoted in Australia at 625. lOd. for merchantable and 60s. lOd. for case grade, as against New Zealand Pinus 735. and 745. free of pith grade. It is my opinion that if and when the present dollar shortage is overcome, New Zealand will face a substantial decline in present prices and severe competition from Canada and the Baltic countries, particularly in low-grade material. Every endeavour should be made to reduce production and handling costs, internal transport charges, shipping freights, &c., to enable New Zealand Pinus to compete on the Australian market. Sawmilling Methods in British Columbia The plants visited in the vicinity of Vancouver generally conformed to the fast Pacific headrig principle, followed by multiple saw edgers, gang saws, or resaws, and varied in capacity from 30,000 ft. per day to 300,000 ft. per day. There is increasing interest in the use of log gang frames for small-diameter timber, and a number of these have been installed in recent years. Typical of the plants visited would be — Canadian White Pine Co. This consists of three mills situated on the one site. A. Mill. —Consists of a double-unit mill, logs 17 in. and under going through a log gang, and logs over 17 in. through a band mill, each line being supplied separately from the water, and at opposite ends of the mill. The band-saw line consists of a Pacific headrig with steam log-turners, and a band-saw, cutting both ways, feeding timber direct and also to a multiple-saw edger. Heavy timbers produced on the band-saw proceed direct through the mill on driven rollers, and provision is made for cross-cutting defective baulks and diverting to the edger or resaw. At the end of this line the timber passes a heavy trim saw where it is finally trimmed to length and side traversed to the yard. Side timbers and flitches produced on the band-saw are trimmed and side traversed to a multiple-saw edger. The log gang unit operates on the through and through principle, mainly 2 in., and feeds its production to a separate multiple-saw edger. Timber from both edgers passes over a multiple-saw trimming-table operated by one man overhead, and on to a green sorting-table where it is sorted for straddle trucks. Provision is made on the lower floor for the resawing of defective baulks, edgings, &c., from the sorting chain, by the installation of a band resaw, and small edger feeding back on to the sorting chain.

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