THE TIMBER COMMISSION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2454, 19 March 1909, Page 3

THE TIMBER COMMISSION.

AN OBJECTION TO ITS PERSONNEL (Prees Association,) CHRISTCHURCH, March 18. To-day Mr. T. E., Taylor,introduced a -deputation to Sir J. G. -Ward on a matter connected' -with the personnel of the Timber Commission. Mr. Goss said it had been understood prior to the appointment of the Commission that the timber merchants would have two representatives on. it., one representing the North -and the other the South Island. JbT-om the personnel of the ‘.Commission he took it that there was only one representative cf the timber merchants on it, Mr. Leyland, of Auckland. IL it were too late to alter things they would have to stand, but the deputation thought that they ought to protest against not having a South Island, timber merchant on the commission.

Sir Joseph’Ward said he v/oukl give every consideration to the representations made by the deputation on what he recognised was a very -important matter. He had not had a more difficult task in his experience of Corn missions than the setting up of the Timber Coirunsision. His original idea was to have all interests affected represented, bur, from representations to him, he had found that to do so would have meant a Commission consisting of over 1-0 n.r-r.-'bors. Ho had also found that there was going to he such diversity of ■opinion on the subject,’of the representation on the Commission, of the different .interests involved that he had come to the -conclusion that the only solution of the difficulty was to have a large number of representatives -of the people on it, so as to -represent all" clauses of the community,. The. timber merchants had not been overlooked in the appointment of the Commission. Mr-Leyl-and was distinctly, a- merchants’ reuceseniative. On his return to Wellington he would go into the matter brought under his notice by the deputation, and would! ascertain if the Government would bo warranted in granting the request made. He would let them have a reply by Monday at the iatcret.