New Zealand in evolution, industrial, economic and political; . lished a full-bodied export a means of transporting the logs from the heart of theforest down to the mills, the wide, meandering rivers ofthis area are an invaluable asset. Through their agency The Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the timber industryand complaints against the competition of Oregon pine, reporting in July,1909, declared that the importation did not menace the industry, but itrecommended an increase in the duty on short lengths of Oregon regard to the price at which New Zealand timber
New Zealand in evolution, industrial, economic and political; . lished a full-bodied export a means of transporting the logs from the heart of theforest down to the mills, the wide, meandering rivers ofthis area are an invaluable asset. Through their agency The Royal Commission appointed to inquire into the timber industryand complaints against the competition of Oregon pine, reporting in July,1909, declared that the importation did not menace the industry, but itrecommended an increase in the duty on short lengths of Oregon regard to the price at which New Zealand timber was being sold theCommission did not consider it excessive. It was of opinion that the levelof prices was to some extent due to the rates of freight charged on timberby the Government railways. The Commission did not investigate fromthe financial standpoint the capitalisation of the industry, with a view toascertaining the truth or otherwise of the statements made in 1904, thatthere were too many mills to work at a profit without an understanding asto FORESTS AND PROFLIGACY 59 there are few corners of the milling areas which cannot betapped by short tram-lines. A recent flood, for example,liberated and floated down to the mills kauri logs whichhad been lying in a backwater for fifteen years. Some ofthe rivers, too, are navigable for long distances from thesea. The timber scows receive their cargoes at the millin the heart of the forest and carry them direct to theoversea markets. Vessels of 1,500 tons, carrying a millionfeet of timber, can He alongside the river mills to load ;scows of 500 tons can navigate the rivers for 100 miles;and smaller craft creep as far again up the windingcreeks. The Kaipara harbour, with its rivers and streams,affords a water frontage of 2,000 miles, all of which isutilised for the purposes of the industry. The shippingcleared outwards from the Kaipara in a year exceeds50,000 tons. Even the lumberers of Oregon are notbetter placed in this re
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectnewzeal, kauri, timber
