SAWMILLING SECTION.

Progress, Volume XIV, Issue 4, 1 December 1918, Page 383

SAWMILLING SECTION.

[This Section is published by arrangement with the Dominion Federated Sawmillers' Association (Incorp.) in the interests of the Sawmilling Industry of U.Z.I Editor: IRVINE.

Since our last issue the financial statement has been delivered and it is satisfactory to know that the revenue for the . year exceeds the expenditure by over half a million sterling. No further new taxation is contemplated in the meantime, and per contra no reduction in existing taxation can be made until, the full obligations of the country for pensions, etc. to returned soldiers are ascertained. A period of Commercial activity after the conclusion of peace is confidently looked for, but this will only be brought about by the repatriation of our manhood, and moderate immigration to enable us to obtain all the necessary labour for more intensive cultivation, land settlement, and increased production all round. Railways under construction should be pushed on to payable points, and public works for the development of the country and the opening of new industries urged on with all possible haste. The .hydro-electric schemes intended to be carried outwill make for coal saving, and cheaper driving power, which can be distributed for long distances at a comparatively low rate, all of which should tend to encourage more local industries, and incidentally create a greater demand for timber.

Reference is made in the Statement to the "continued, complaints as to high prices and short supplies of timber, especially white pine, which have led to the necessity .for control of this important industry," and further reference is made to the policy of afforestation for which it is intended to ask authority for a loan of £200,000 for this purpose. In this connection . the Hon. Minister for Finance remarked: v "The Government proposes that the State forests shall henceforth he managed and* controlled by a separate Minister, with the special duty of utilising them for the supply to the Dominion of timber ripe for cutting, coupled with careful protection from destruction of all growing trees. By this means in other countries lands have been continuously preserved under forest, and are annually yielding revenue from the trees which gradually in each series of years become fit for timber purposes. It will be advisable in certain areas to establish State sawmills to give full effect to this policy, notably in the case of the Waipoua State Kauri Forest, and also in areas reserved for railway supplies. All loan authorities and grants from the Consolidated Fund for forest purposes are now exhausted, and the forestry branch of the Lands Department is not only without funds, but has been compelled to encroach upon the vote for other lands purposes to prevent the closing-down of the various plantations. I propose that authority be granted this session for a new loan of £200,000

* to provide funds for forestry and afforestation purposes for a considerable period. Revenue can only be derived from milling licenses and sales of timber, and it is obviously undesirable at present to seek increased revenue from those sources. The grant proposed from the Consolidated Fund for this year will be the same as voted in the year 1917-18 viz., £SOOO. During the ' five years ended March 81st, 1918, the sum of £24,250 was transferred from the Consolidated Fund (lauds and survey vote) to supplement State forest funds, and during this year £6OOO has been so transferred owing to the loan authority having'become exhausted.”

Since our last issue the Timber Industry Committee, consisting of Messrs. J. W. Butler, Bush, and Jos. Butler (representing the sawmilling industry), Messrs. Bassett & Hopkirk (timber merchants) and Mr. Murdoch (Egmont Box Coy.i has met the Board of Trade in conference with respect to the Timber Regulations. Mr. Leggat, the Southland representative of the sawmilling industry was unfortunately unable, to be present. Much useful preliminary work was done and the data collected by the Board carefully examined and analysed. The Board has now requested a certain number of sawmillers both in the .North and South Islands to furnish it with a statement of their cost of production, and he Federation has guaranteed that no advantage will be taken by associated sawmillers ,to increase prices beyond existing rates pending the collection of this information. ' A long and interesting report of the proceedings has been furnished by the President of the Federation, and this will doubtless be available for the information of Members after it has been presented to the. Special General Meeting intended to-be held on 11th December.

Sawmillers on the Main Trunk have had an exceedingly bad run. during the last month. First of all, Southern traffic was blocked on account of the Mangaweka slip, then the disastrous slip, unfortunately accompanied with .loss of life, occurred at Motaroa, followed by ,a further slip at Mangaweka again. Then came the ..epidemic from which the whole country is suffering, many mills have been compelled to close down, and those men not stricken themselves/ have been mostly, occupied in helping the sick and suffering. When the Armistice was signed we thought we were in for a period of rejoicing, but this scourge has been so disastrous, that the war itself has been overshadowedat least locally—and quite a number of well-known men have succumbed. “One touch of Nature makes the whole world kin,”

and many noble deeds have come to light during the epidemic, in which doctors, nurses and men and women helpers have acted, as heroically as many of our men on the field of battle. Notwithstanding our sordid pursuits in an age of "Commercialism" all this goes to prove the innate goodness of human nature in times of crisis.

* * * # When the epidemic is stamped out, as it surely will be, we look forward to a period of activity for our industry, and in this connection we notice it is hoped that about 60,000 men will be repatriated at the rate of 5000 monthly during the next 12. months. Let us hope they will all find profitable employment and 'be absorbed by the community through the organisations set up to avoid any undue disturbance of economic conditions.

# # * # As a result of the Armistice, freights have almost immediately dropped 25%, and insurance likewise is considerably reduced from Home ports to the Dominions. There can be no doubt that our supplies of wire-rope, (which at one time caused millers much anxiety) will shortly resume normal proportions, and the Government has already cabled the Imperial authorities with respect to fencing and barbed wire, in order to obtain a share of the stock manufactured for war purposes. Essential industries are receiving first consideration in the scheme of demobilisation, and as factories are enabled to replace munition machinery with' ; that in use before the war, we may confidently look* forward to supplies of all the necessaries we have been accustomed to, and prices must later on gradually decline.

# * # • Writing with regard to the timber position in Victoria in September an exchange says:— "Owing to the scarcity of shipping, consequent upon the war, the importation of timber from abroad has greatly diminished since 1914. In that year over 51,000,000 super-feet of dressed floorings, linings, and weather-boards were imported into Victoria, as compared with a little over 1,000,000 feet during the 12 months ended June 30th, 1917. The figures for this year are not available, but the shipments have been few, and to-day Baltic deals and American red pine are practically "off the market." No supplies of red pine or spruce have been received from Scandinavia for two years. There has also been a decrease in the importations from Eastern Canada, but recently there has been a fair amount of shipping space available in the Pacific, and the importations from the western States have risen to 50,4)06,000 feet in the past six months. If during the second half of this year this proportion be maintained, the imports of building and construction timber, such as Oregon red pine and Pacific pine, should be almost; equal to those of the pre-war period.*' o.?j' : ''J- i

- ' * -2. * * * A Gazette extraordinary contains regulations providing that after November 1 all butter for ex-

port must be packed in rectangular boxes, of which the inside. measurements shall be 15£in. by .10 Jin. by 11-jin., and the outside measurements shall be 16£in. by ll£in. by 12^in.

* .#■#■'• Of no use are the men who study to do exactly as was done beforewho can never understand that to-day is a new day. We want men of original perception and original action, who can open their eyes wider than to a nationalitynamely to considerations of benefit to the human race— can act in the interests of civilisation, men of elastic, men of moral mind, who can live in the moment and take a step forward.

It's the knowing man who knows enough to know there's a lot he doesn't know.

* # # * Pluck will win—its average is sure, He wins the fight who can the most endure. Who faces issues, he who never shirks. Who waits and watches and who always works.

* * # # Of the three or four million acres of useful forests that Western Australia possesses nearly the whole of it is made up of jarrah and karri. A splendid work of the most fundamental importance is going on there at the present time and it is being undertaken solely for the purpose of protecting generations of Australians yet unborn. The Forest Administration of Western Australia, being actuated by statesman-like ideals and scientific method, is investing money now for profit in the future. The work referred to is a complete census or survey of the State's forests as they now exist.

# * * # An awakening of forestry consciousness in Tasmania is worth noting. Parliament last session voted £SOO for investigation purposes, and recently the Premier conferred with a specially appointed committee with a view to the formulation of a policy. Two initial steps have been suggested. Mr. Mackay, Conservator of Forests in Victoria, is to be asked to visit Tasmania and guide the committee; and preparations are being made to plant quick-growing pines. There is no indication yet that Tasmania is determined to protect its magnificent native timbers from destruction. Perhaps that will come.