No_3_March_and_April__1950 — Page 26

UNITED KINGDOM.

1.

Malaya

M. A. V. THOMAS Chief of Delegation

M. K. H. BRYANT Member

2. Hong Kong.

M. I. P. TAMWORTH Chief of Delegation

UNITED STATES.

M. DUFFIELD Observer

Hongkong's Interest in the Conference

Mr. Tamworth wrote the following short review on the proceedings. He emphasizes that it is purely and simply an expression of personal opinion which is given merely to enlarge on the resolutions adopted at the Conference as they may affect Hong Kong.

Preliminary Remarks

As soon as I was notified of the decision to send me as representative of Hong Kong to this Conference, in addition to consultations with the various Government departments interested in purchasing wood, I addressed circular letters in English and Chinese to timber importers and the timber trade association in Hong Kong and made arangements to interview their representatives before my departure on 1, 4:50.

Briefly, Hong Kong has long been regarded as the dump- ing ground of logs and timber which are too defective to find a ready market elsewhere. This position has not been satis- factory for the consumer and there has been a growing demand here for graded timber from the countries of S. E. Asia to be shipped on the same basis as Oregon Pine imported from the West Coast of America.

Much of the timber imported into Hong Kong arrives in log form and these logs are frequently so defective that sale by auction is the only means of disposal since no grading rules could adequately cover their multitudinous defects. In the case of sawn timber the position has been that whilst ship- ments from Borneo are normally satisfactory, those from Malaya can neither be relied upon from the point of view of size (i.e. scant sawn) nor quality, factors which lead to con- stant disputes between buyers and sellers.

The supply of Teak is the outstanding exception to these remarks owing to the fact that Teak from Bangkok is always graded before shipment, although there is no uniformity in the grading and the allowable defects are a matter of arrange- ment between the buyer and the seller.

The resolutions adopted at the meeting are attached

I propose to comment briefly thereon:-

A.

Nomenclature

—

The necessity for arriving at some reliable grouping of the timbers exported was recognised, but it is open to doubt whether a satisfactory grouping can be made on the basis proposed at A(1). Provided that a satisfactory grouping can be made on this basis and export timbers marketed in accord- ance with such grouping purchasers will have a good idea of the type of timber they are buying notwithstanding any rather misleading trade name that may continue to be applied to a specific timber for a particular market. There is of course a considerable amount of work to be done in classification of timbers into these categories A(2) owing to the large number of timbers exported from this region. An appropriate classi- fication has been sent to the F.A.O. Office covering the timbers imported into Hong Kong.

B. Terminology of Defects

The acceptance of a standard definition of defects is a necessary preliminary to grading of timber and, certain modifications of the definitions given in the Malayan Grading Rules will undoubtedly be necessary.

C. Testing Methods

Architects and Engineers will be interested in the question of strength tests carried out on the timbers of this region. Figures are already in existence for most of the heavy con- structional timbers but there has undoubtedly been a great lack of conformity in the conditions under which these tests have been made.

LIVER

D

D. Grading

1. Teak. Shipments of Teak are invariably graded but the system of grading has lacked standardization. Thailand and Indonesia are the only two countries exporting teak in large quantities at the moment and although the Sawmill Association of Siam has formulated a set of grading rules for Teak it has not been entirely adopted by shippers many of whom still prefer to ship to standards agreed upon for many years with their buyers. The recommendation of the Con- ference to adopt the Burma Grading Rules in principle for teak squares is but the first step towards the adoption of standard grading rules for Teak exported from the countries of S.E. Asia.

2. Conifers-In the absence of delegates from China and Korea no progress could be made on formulating grading rules for conifers.

3. Hardwood Logs-The grading of logs will ultimately be of great benefit to the Hong Kong Market though at present little grading of logs for Hong Kong from Borneo is done before shipment as the necessity for grading is overcome by the system of auctioning the logs after arrival in Hong Kong. Malaya exports practically only sawn timber. This system of auctioning has the advantage of allowing the buyer to know what he is getting for his money in the lowest grades of timber where the defects are so numerous that grading rules could not adequately separate the logs into categories. This is primarily a reflection on the Hong Kong Timber Market which is prepared to accept poor quality and defective logs for conversion here, usually by handsawing, which permits more accurate sawing to obviate defects than could normally be undertaken at a saw mill.

The advantage of adopting Borneo grading rules as a basis for grading hardwood logs may well be of a benefit to saw- millers in Hong Kong who will be able to order graded logs with the knowledge that they will be suitable for conversion into timber at these sawmills. A further advantage will accrue in that graded logs will be purchased directly by the importer and thereby obviate wharf charges which must be considerable especially when, as at present, a large accumulation of logs awaits sale on a saturated market. Moreover since grading is done for species as well as for defects, disputes concerning the supply of timbers of inferior quality will be less likely to occur. The market for defective logs in Hong Kong will undoubtedly continue and for logs of this type auctioning is the only satisfactory method of disposal.

4. Hardwood timber-The adoption of the Malayan Grading Rules as a basis for grading timber will benefit the Timber Trade. However considerable modification will be required before agreement is finally reached especially on the question of the classification of the various grades of timber, since the classification in the Malayan Grading Rules was designed specifically to suit the needs of the export trade of Malaya to the U.K.

E. Training of Grading Inspectors

The question of the training of Grading Inspectors was considered. This is a very important point as the temporary lack of qualified grading inspectors is at present causing great delay in shipments of graded timber from Malaya.

F.

Dimensions

The merits of the metric system were discussed and it is of some interest to record that French Indo-China is the only country in this region which uses it exclusively for measure- ment of timber. Borneo, Brunei, India, Indonesia, the Philip- pines, except for Customs, Sarawak and Thailand all use feet and inches as the basis of measurement for sawn timber.

The final recommendation should be of great benefit to the Timber Trade in Hong Kong. Endless disputes occur here on this point arising from the fact that Malayan ungraded timber exports are almost entirely "scant sawn" whilst Borneo timber is always "full sawn". Delegates from Thailand said that timber exported from their country was always "full sawn" and the Malayan Delegation also preferred to follow this practice. I regard this recommendation as of great importance to the Hong Kong Market and hope to see some conformity on this matter which is always a controversial point with timber importers.

Summary

Whereas I consider that certain points as the applicability of the Malayan Grading Rules and the Standardization of the nomenclature of timber could have been discussed in fuller detail, the exchange of basic views on these matters undoubtedly will bear fruit, especially if full opportunity is taken by the participating countries to forward relevant material for compilation at the FAO Regional Office at Bangkok.

It is proposed to hold a further Conference towards the end of 1950 for which Malaya has offered facilities though, I understand, Bangkok is a more likely venue.

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