“A GREAT WAVE OF PROSPERITY”

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 122, 21 February 1928, Page 10

“A GREAT WAVE OF PROSPERITY”

BUILDING ACTIVITY IN NEW ZEALAND AN AUSTRALIAN VISITOR’S IMPRESSIONS "There seems to be a great wave of prosperity throughout tho Dominion from what we have >ecn in Auckland and on the way to Wellington. There was plenty of activity everywhere. By comparison you are busier hero than we are in Australia,” said Mr. L. Thompson, president of the federated Master Builders’ Association ol Australia, to a Dominion representative. Mr. Thompson is ou the way to Christchurch to attend the annual conference of the New Zealand Builders’ I 1 ederation, which will commence this morning. He is accompanied by Mr. A. Phillips, treasurer to the federation, Air. A. Douglas, senior vice-president of the Melbourne Master Builders’ Association, and Mr. H. W. McCann, a member of the Melbourne association. Mr. Thompson is a member of the firm of Thompson and Chalmers Proprietary Ltd., one of the largest building firms in Melbourne, while Mr. McCann is the Melbourne distributor of 70 per cent, of tho output of 100,000 tons a year of the Geelong Cement Co ... "We want to create a feeling of interest between the Dominion and Commouwealth In building matters if we can,” said Mr. Thompson, ‘.‘for our interests are somewhat identical. The New Zealand federation works on much the same lines as our own. There has been a wonderful difference made in Wellington even since 1 was hero three years ago, for quite a number of imposing buildings have made their appearance since then. My firm is busy at the present time making an extensive addition to the ‘Melbourne Herald’ office. . “You appear to be making much greater use of concrete with steel girders or reinforced now than you used to do although we use concrete more extensively in Australia, as we only build cheaper houses in timber. From what I have been told, the cost of artisans dwellings is much the same in New Zealand. The State Savings Bank in Melbourne is constructing five-roomed cottages for £BOO and upwards. “It may interest you to know that the Australian authorities recently put a duty on imported Oregon timber, this has increased the retail price -from 255. to 30s. a hundred feet, which will mean an increase in the cost of building. . It is mere a revenue tariff than protective, and will not have the effect of making builders use more hard, woods. "The building trade in Australia has suffered severely in recent years owing to the overlapping of awards. The Federal Arbitration Court will set a standard of wages and conditions in industry, and then the Wages Board, which controls the same industry, will meet and set another standard of wages and conditions. The position has now been cleared somewhat by the decision of the Federal Arbitration Court Judge, that the findings of the Federal Court must bo paramount. Even now some of the Wages’ Boards will meet and endeavour to over-ride the findings of the Federal Court, and this is causing a good deal of overlapping and confusion, and unsettles the men. We are in favour of abolishing the Federal Arbitration Courts, and instituting a system of Wages Boards and Conciliation Courts.

Everything has been working peacefully and harmoniously in the last twelve months in the building trade, and tho prospects are that it will continue so for the present. Unemployment has not been severe of late, and Western Australia has been enjoying a period of wonderful prosperity in every trade. Labour is still in a minority in tho Federal Parliament, and though there is some speculation as to the result of the next election, I think a Nationalist Government will go back again.

“There should be a reduction in building costs in Australia in the near future, anything up to 10 per cent. This will be brought about by a reduction in wages caused by a decrease in the cpst of living, and the reduction in the cost of living and wages will bring reductions in every trade, which will have a beneficial effect all round. “Y'dii seem to be having the same experience in New Zealand as we are having in Australia with the railways, which arc losing enormous sums owing to the competition of the motor-lorries. The Victorian lines have a deficit of nearly a million this year, and most of it is duo to Ihe inroads made by motor-lorries on the transport traffic.” After the conference is over the party will visit the timber regions on the West Coast and will then visit the Hermitage, Mount Cook, and the Glacier prior to leaving the Bluff for home early in March.