THE TIMBER COMMISSION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2496, 8 May 1909, Page 5

THE TIMBER COMMISSION.

AUCKLAND TIMBER SUPPLY

[Per Press Association.]

AUCKLAND, May 7

The Timber* Commission commenced the hearing of the Auckland evidence this. morning. ~ - It. Phelan, representing the Timber Workers’ Union, 1800 members, stated that 63 mills in the Auckland district produced over 212 f millions superficialfeet of timber yearly. ' There, were 2055 men employed in the! mills, exclusive of hushmen. He estimated the amount of standing timber in the Auckland district in million superficial feet as follows: Kauri 375, rinm 993; kahikatca 642, totara 100, matai 810, miscellaneous 131. Deducting this year’s output, he . estimated the total was 4841 million superficial feet, equal to about nineteen years’ supply. There -was a slump in the industry, but kauri was not affected. He did not believe it possible to conserve the kauri forests. The land was more valuable than-the timber bn it. An export duty on kauri would kill the country mills. ■ Royalties' and freights should be uniform throughout the Dominion. In the' past ten years the cost of milling, timber. has -increased! front-- 25 to 35 per cent: He believed in n State sawmill: and the- regulation r of the price of timber. by. a Parliamentary dommitteq, . . • -.' /