THE TIMBER COMMISSION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2498, 11 May 1909, Page 5

THE TIMBER COMMISSION.

SITTING AT AUCKLAND.

[Per ..Press Association.]

AUCKLAND, ’May 10. The Timber Commission conci'Tiued its sitting to-day, when Herman Coupe, manager of the Taupo Totara Sawmilling Company, stated that he did not think any good would result from an export duty on kauri and white pine. He urged that the timber industry’ required protection. An, import tax on foreign timber of Is per hundred feet would only increase the. cost of a cottage by £B. The conservation of bush in the face of advancing settlement was impossible. If the import duty on Oregon pine was not increased? many of tiie sawmills- would be closed, competition would lie keener, and prices would; advance* There should be no free importation at all, not even logs. David Goldie, timber merchant, of Auckland, stated that he did not consider that the present price of timber was excessive, -when the heavy expenses and risk of the millers were taken into account. It was absurd to say that the present slump in the building trade was due to the high price of timber. It was folly to talk of conserving the kauri.* He ridiculed the idea to place an exnort duty on it. It would not save the kauri, as thousands of pounds’ worth were being destroyed every year by fire. The prices obtained on exported timber enabled the millers to pay the existing high rate of wages. If an export duty was imposed, millers would either have to reduce wages or stop milling to a large extent. He did not think the import duty on foreign timbers should be raised, as Oregon was now, to some extent, taking the place of medium kauri, which was now hard to procure. He denied that there was a combine in tile trade to keep up the price of timber. They had an association which agreed upon a schedule of prices, but this had not been adhered, to by all the members.