CONFERENCE ON HOME-GROWN TIMBER. 4 1 



preliminary, I should like to say there should be some steps 

 taken to prevent confusion in the names. In the Timber Control 

 Order there are larch, Scots pine, Douglas fir and spruce 

 mentioned. In the War Office schedule you will find that they 

 speak of fir and white fir. I was a little confused about this 

 timber. I asked a timber merchant about it, but either his 

 explanation was too vague or I was a little bit dull, but I was 

 not much wiser. I think, therefore, to prevent mistakes at the 

 outset, there should be some regular system of naming the 

 timber so that when the architect specifies what he wants, the 

 contractor can supply it. That seems to me a necessary 

 preliminary. 



" So far as my experience of softwoods has gone, I do not 

 see any reason why they should not be used for all the purposes 

 for which foreign timber has been used. We have handled a 

 considerable quantity of it, and it is quite as good as the foreign 

 article, that is to say if it has been properly taken care of. For 

 flooring and things of that kind it is equal to imported timber. 

 The timber should be cut down at the proper time. It has, of 

 course, to be properly manufactured — equal to the standard of 

 imported timber. That should not present much difficulty. 

 The timber would require to be carefully seasoned and stored — 

 not necessarily seasoned for use. It should be kept in proper 

 condition, and it will not deteriorate but rather improve. 



" In connection with the timber we have received delivery 

 of recently, we occasionally saw deals and planks produced in 

 15-feet or 16-feet lengths with scarcely a knot in them — much 

 better than the imported article — absolutely free from defects, 

 at least knots. Luggage trunks and box beds were made of 

 home timber, and it seems to me that a revival of that industry 

 would be an outlet for home-grown timber. If the timber were 

 properly taken care of and properly graded, and these good 

 trees selected out of material suitable for that purpose and 

 manufactured, I think we might do very much worse than 

 encourage such an industry in this country." 



Mr M'Nab (Architect) said : — " If the architect knew what 

 timber was available for various purposes, I do not think the 

 profession would scruple to make use of it. The difficulty was 

 whether the timber was available in a seasoned condition." 



Sir Robert Lorimer, F.R.I.B.A., said : — " I entirely agree with 

 what the last speaker says and also with Mr Watson. The 



