NITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE SUPPLEMENT TO COMMERCE ablished by the BUREAU OF FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC COMMERCE METHODS OF HANDLING LUMBER IMPORTS IN WITH A REPORT ON THE LUMBER INDUSTRY OF NEW ZEALAND Compiled from Information Furnished by the American American Consular Officers WASHINGTON: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFF INTRODUCTION. This bulletin is the fourth in a series on methods of handling lumber imports in foreign countries. Previous bulletins covered. South America, North America (outside the United States), and Africa, respectively. Subsequent bulletins will relate to Europe and Asia. The information herein is based on replies made by American Government representatives to a questionnaire. In each country the established methods of handling imported lumber are set forth and the operations of agents, importers, and dealers are described. The purchasing policies of large consumers and the Governments and the established terms of sale are indicated. The lumber division recommends that established methods of importing lumber be followed, as it has been found that the best way to build up a permanent trade is to handle the business by the methods that have grown up in each country. Shipping lumber on consignment is to be discouraged. In connection with this series of bulletins the lumber division has obtained information on the methods of trade arbitration in each country with lists of available arbitrators. Current lists of lumber agents and importers in each important foreign lumber market are also being prepared. These lists can be obtained from the bureau or its district and cooperative offices by lumber exporters registered n the Exporters' Index. 55476-23 (111) JULIUS KLEIN, Director. UNITED STATES EXPORTS OF LUMBER TO AUSTRALIA AND OTHER OCEANIA, 1922. NOTE.-Exports in addition to those stated in the table were: To Australia: Hardwood logs, except oak, 10,000 board feet; softwood logs, 504 board feet; southern ye pine timber, hewn or sawn, 521,000 board feet; other softwood timber, hewn or sawn, 828,000 board fer other softwood boards, planks, and scantlings, 3,646,000 board feet; poplar boards, planks, and scanting 1,000 board feet; other hardwood boards, planks, and scantlings, 15,000 board feet. To British Oceania: Oak timber, hewn or sawn, 156 board feet. To French Oceania: Southern yellow pine logs, 3,000 board feet; telegraph, trolley, and electri poles, 110; other softwood boards, planks, and scantlings, 3,000 board feet; cross arms for telegraph, i phone, and trolley poles, 600. To New Zealand: Telegraph, trolley, and electric-light poles, 15 poles; boards, planks, and scanthings gum, 13,000 board feet; other hardwood boards, planks, and scantlings, 4,000 board feet. METHODS OF HANDLING LUMBER IMPORTS IN AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, AND PACIFIC ISLANDS. AUSTRALIA. MELBOURNE. American Trade Commissioner J. W. Sanger, Melbourne, February 26, 1923. Australian native timber consists almost wholly of hardwoods, elonging chiefly to the eucalyptus or gum and acacia or locust amilies. These hardwoods include some excellent varieties, such as he kauri and jarrah of Western Australia, which are being used xtensively in railway and other construction work and are also xported for this purpose in large quantities. Although Australian imbers are undoubtedly excellent where great strength, hardness, lurability, and toughness are desired, it follows that the dearth of oftwoods must be made up by importation, as the Australian species f softwoods are very few and limited in range and quantity. The ative softwoods consist of Tasmanian huon pine, hoop pine, bunya unya pine, and kauri pine; but with the exception of the huon pine, hese pines are so thinly scattered over so great an area and at so reat a distance from the railroad as to make the cost of lumbering perations prohibitive. Therefore the cost of producing timber is uch that in normal times both Douglas fir and north European softvoods sell for less than the native woods. It is not likely that the imited range and cutting cost of Australian softwoods will ever nable them to offer serious competition to imported softwoods, hough the native hardwoods will continue to be exported for railway nd other special uses and will be used locally in increasing quantities or interior finish, flooring, furniture, and manufacturing. The principal classes of lumber imported into Australia are Douglas r, redwood, Sitka spruce, western hemlock, north European spruce nd pine, sugar pine, California white pine, and New Zealand kauri nd white pine, the leading item being Douglas fir, which will always e in demand because of its light weight and splendid working quality, nd also because it is always obtainable in any dimension required. There heavy and long material is needed Douglas fir is used clusively. It is especially useful for mining and is the only wood ported into Australia for that purpose, trials with native hardoods having demonstrated that they are inclined to snap without arning under excessive loads, whereas the Douglas fir under the me circumstances crushes slowly. Dressed north European spruce and pine for flooring, lining, and eatherboards is also largely used. Pacific coast lumber exporters ve sometimes asked whether Douglas fir could not replace north uropean spruce and pine in the Australian market. Conservative |