CONFERENCE ON HOME-GROWN TIMBER. 45 



unnecessary expense, and, of course, there would be unnecessary 

 expense if wood is not properly seasoned. I think we can 

 guarantee that home-grown timber properly graded and 

 seasoned, if available, will be used. What Mr Ryle says can 

 be taken for the Board of Health if suitable home timber can 

 be offered." 



Mr Button (Building Materials Department) said : — " I may 

 say that the subject of Scottish home-grown timber is at present 

 receiving the consideration of our Board, and the actual amount 

 will be governed by the extent to which architects will use it. 

 One gentleman raised the question of sizes and stocks. If that 

 information were placed at the disposal of the architects it 

 would be an advantage." 



Sir John Stirling-Maxwell. — "Of course it would really solve 

 the question if users could say what they want — say they want 

 so many thousand standards of timber during the next two 

 years. Timber will never be produced except to a definite 

 demand. If such a demand were made from your department 

 or other departments interested, then these gentlemen of the 

 timber trade would co-operate and give a collective guarantee." 



Colonel W. Steuart Fothringham (Interim Forest Authority) 

 said: — "The first thing that occurs to me as representing the 

 Interim Forest Authority is that the Authority, as at present 

 constituted, have not the slightest intention of interfering with 

 the timber trade. That is the view that is taken by the present 

 Interim Forest Authority, and if the permanent authority is 

 constituted as is the present Interim Authority, they will have 

 not the slightest wish to interfere with the timber trade at all. 

 They will confine themselves to the growing of timber, and when 

 the timber is grown it will be for the timber trade to make the 

 best use they can of it. It seems to me the discussion is going 

 in rather a vicious circle. Nobody seems to have given any 

 indication of where the beginning is to be made. My own 

 view is that if the Office of Works, or some similar big institu- 

 tion, who have the making out of schedules for contracts, would 

 specify that home timber was to be used and would exercise a 

 long view and say we shall want this timber in two or three 

 years' time, this would give a fair start. Somebody must 

 start, and I think the Office of Works might be the people who 

 should make a start in this particular case. I do not think 

 the timber trade is the least likely to cut timber into special 



