C—3a

Timber proceeds beyond grading-table, and is automatically dropped, in any of four grades or orders as set by the operator, on to one of four trucks below. Straightening on trucks below .. .. .. .. 1 man. In Canada, responsibility for grade and tally appears to rest with P.L.1.8. officers at each mill and is done green sawn. In Scandinavia, each mill is extremely zealous of its name for grade and sells under its own mark. In either case, each piece is subject to individual inspection and check, and tallies and grade can be relied upon, and each piece clearly marked with seller's mark, grade, and length. To compete on the Australian or other export markets, New Zealand has an extremely long way to go to compare with competitive countries, and some positive action to improve the situation is essential and overdue. Timber Treatment Sap-stain treatment is not universal in Scandinavia, but is practised by a considerable number of operators. These methods are used : (1) Spraying on running-out trucks with watering-can. (2) Immersion treatment between trimming and green sorting chain. (3) Vapour or fog treatment on outfeed timber lines to trim table or sorting chain. Details of vapour or fog treatment are available and, if suitable to New Zealand conditions, is to be strongly recommended as being simple and inexpensive as to installation and requiring little room. Seasoning All timber for export is either air seasoned or kiln seasoned as part and parcel of the milling process. Progressive-type kilns appear to be in increasing favour, and many kilns were of this type. I believe one reason is that the progressive type works in best with the running-out system, many operators filleting off the sorting chain on to the trucks, and the timber remains on these trucks through the kilns and until finally disposed of into holding shed of sale. Considerable literature on kiln seasoning was brought back by the writer. Enormous stacks are held at most operations, both in dry-timber sheds and in -covered filleted stacks as instanced below : Korsnas This mill produces 72,000,000 per year and has indoor storage for kiln-dried timber for 20,000,000 in parcel lots of 6,000 ft. each. One shed is 960 ft. long by 180 ft. wide, and is serviced by overhead crane system. Iggesunde Bruk Three-line mill. Capacity, 100,000 ft. per day. All filleted stack. No kilns. All timber immersion dip treated. Holding-capacity under bridge crane system, 34,000,000. This bridge crane handles green sawn timber from slip truck to stacks, dry timber from stack to truck for shipping for an output of 100,000 ft. per day, with two men. The bridge crane covers 325 ft. in width, covering eight parallel stacks, four on either side, and has a very considerable lengthwise travel.

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