Production of Timber for Case Making

17 April 1945 The Tumut and Adelong Times

A Great Step In Decentralisation  

'The local production of the timber industry for making the vast quantity of cases required on the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area was a most important matter and would be a real and very great step towards decentralisation," said Mr. J. G. Youll, the Water Commission's manager at Leeton, at the meeting of the Murrumbidgee Regional Development Committee, which was held in Temora recently.

Mr. Youll produced figures to show the huge quantity of timber required for packing the produce - both fresh and canned - of the Irrigation Area. 

In response to an enquiry from him, Mr. B. U. Byles (Forestry Commission, Wagga) had given to the committee information regarding two species of American cottonwood (poplar), which it was thought would be suitable for planting in soaks and other wet places near farms on the Area. 

It was pointed out that if large numbers of these trees were properly planted, even in small areas, the total result would be a considerable supply of timber for the establishment of a local industry.  

The importance of forestry development in Region 15 was also stressed in a submission by the Batlow Packing House Co-operative, and the committee expressed the hope that the Forestry Commission would work out a detailed plan for the overall development of the forest resources of the region.