NOTES ON THE HISTORY OF TIMBER, ETC. 9 
material. From the outset all this foreign wood shipped 
to English ports was subject to a Government duty. 
These taxes were largely differential, the imposts having 
been greatly in favour of the Colonial products. 
They were, however, between 1842 and 1851, gradu- 
ally brought into unison, -and in the latter mentioned 
year were made equal by the substitution of an all- 
round rate of 7s. 6d. and 10s. per load of 50 cubic ft. 
according to description. In 1860 they were again 
reduced to Is. per load of hewn timber and 2s. 6d. per load 
of sawn and, finally, in 1866 they were altogether repealed. 
As above noted, all this wood when first imported was 
in the nature of hewn balks, round tree trunks roughly 
squared by means of the adze, and to convert these into 
suitable dimensions for the convenience of consumers pit 
sawyers were employed. These, a sturdy race of men 
fitted for such arduous labour, had at this time and up 
to fifty or sixty years ago, a halcyon existence, and it 
was no doubt, in some measure, due to their continually 
growing independence, irregularity and neglect of the 
abundant work that was available, that the applica- 
tion of machinery for the conversion and manipulation 
of wood was brought about. Even to this day this 
now primitive method of converting timber may be 
occasionally met with in remote country districts where 
mechanical power is not available. 
As is generally known, two men were employed at this 
method of sawing, and in connection with them 
allusion may be made to the old and popular expression 
“top sawyer,” meaning one in the first rank or at the 
head, this referring to the man standing‘on the top of 
the log, who was in authority and guided the saw to 
the chalked line impressed on the top of. the log. 
The introduction of machinery into the country 
for the conversion of timber was followed by its use 
