BUILDING ACTIVITY IN CHRISTCHURCH

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 206, 28 May 1938, Page 12

BUILDING ACTIVITY IN CHRISTCHURCH

Costs Back To 1929 Level

Dominion Special Service.

Christchurch, May 27.

One of the country’s key industries, the building trade, is reported to be still exceedingly buoyant, notwithstanding the heavy increase in costs. From his knowledge of plans architects have in hand at the moment, the president of the Canterbury Builders’ Association, Mr. C. S. Luney, said yesterday that work in view would occupy builders for at least 12 months or probably two years. Building costs had certainly reached 1929 levels, Mr. Luney said, and the building of a home was now a much more expensive undertaking than it was a few years ago. Nevertheless builders were busily employed in home-building, and those who wanted to build were not deterred. The mild boom continued, and he did not know of one member of the association without a job under way, whereas a few years ago there were a number in that circumstance.

In larger building and construction works, such as city buildings, Government buildings, and local body undertakings, there was a great deal of activity, so much so that at least one building firm was laying out considerable extra capital in extension of plant to cope with the demands. A considerable proportion of the activity was created b.v the Government’s interest in house-building and the erection of new public buildings. All members of the Builders’ Association were participating in the business offering in the trade, and there was definitely no indication whatsoever of easing activity.