NOTES.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19312, 17 May 1928, Page 4

NOTES.

Tenders will be received by the secretary, Tenders Board, Public Works Department, Wellington, up to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, -May 29th, for the erection of a nurses' home at Hanmer. The M.E.D.'s sub-station in Victoria street is now in operation. The necessary connexion to the overhead supply is being made at Hills road. The building construction is approaching completion at Milton street. The huge girders which will carry the weight of the dress circle and gallery in the Theatre lloyal are now in place. The dome has not yet been demolished. It is reported that one of the insurance companies contemplates rebuilding operations at an early date. Another project which may reach fruition is the erection of chambers for medical men. The floors of the M.E.D. office extensions have been completed, and' exterior and interior plastering is in progress. Interior partitions and the wiring installation are also well in hand. The heating system is'completed except for the new boiler. The workshop heating installation has been completed and is in operation.

House-building has ' not slackened with the approach of mid-winter, and the number of permits issued for dwellings in May is likely to be well up to the monthly average. Already the City Council has given authority for the'erection of 30 this month. The following tenders were received for carrying out alterations to the dwellinghouse on the City Council s reserve at Cairnbrae: —J. Grose, £275 15s; K. Aitken, £317; T. 0. Gray, £332; Shearer Bros., £350; S. Elliott, £355; G. L. Bull, £375; G. J. Watson, £385; Rennell Bros., £397; H. Smith, £500; ; T. E. Marriott, £G99. The lowest tender was accepted. During the week the Fuller Theatre Enterprises and J. C. "Williamson Company . have been criticised for passing over local building firms in the rebuilding of the Opera House and Theatre Royal respectively. On both jobs practically the full complement of workmen has been engaged locally. "The work of remodelling the Opera House was not called by tender," said Mr Irvine Elston, manager of Fullers' New Opera House, when told of the builders' objection, "because it has been the practice of Fullers' to get Julian and Son to do their .work. The firm is thoroughly conversant with the requirements, and has had more experience of theatre work than any other in New Zealand." The removal of the restrictions upon tli6 export of timber must be regarded as a temporary expedient, according to a statement issued for publication last Friday by the Minister for Agriculture (the Hon. Mr EGawken), who pointed) out that the policy of the Government that the native forests should be con-: served for the use of the people of New Zealand is to continue. The object of the removal of the restrictions is, firstly, to enable large stocks of timber Which have accumulated at New Zealand mills consequent on diminution in demand for building pur-, poses to be disposed of in Australia and other markets; and, secondly, to enable sawmill workers to find! present employment to a much larger extent than has been possible lately. "All engaged in the trade," said the Minister, "must understand that it will be necessary for the position to be reviewed by the Government from time to time as conditions now existent become changed; and in making commitments they must keep this in mind."

The timber milling industry is passing through, a quiet periodi, and a decrease in home Building in Auckland is aggravating the unemployment situation. In one city mill employing scores of hands it has only been possible to keep the plant running four, days a week during the latt few months. It has now been decided to work-five days a week,- and there was no alternative but to dismiss a number of workers. This arrangement will enable the men who remain to earn a reasonable wage at the sacrifice of these superfluous hancte, whose retention necessitated a four days'. week for all. Most of . the other mills in Auckland have been working a bare five days* week for nearly a year, and there is no immediate prospect of a resumption of Saturday morning work. Sufficient hands are employed to attend to Saturday morning, deliveries, but the machines are not manned. Even under these conditions timber production. is in excess of. the demand, and mill yards are' in' some cases being stacked to capacity. "We have no reason to be very optimistic, but 1 suppose the tide will turn," said a city mill manager