BUILDING INDUSTRY

Evening Star, Issue 22723, 10 August 1937, Page 2

BUILDING INDUSTRY

SOUND POSITION IN SYDNEY [Pun United Piiess Association.] AUCKLAND, August 9. Although the volume of trade hi the Sydney building industry is but TO per cent, of the figures reached in 1930, it has remained stable at that point for the last 12 months, and from the general standpoint is sound. This analysis was made by Mr R. T. Vanderfield, one of the principal men in the industry in New South Wales, who is a through passenger by the Aorangi for Vancouver and the Pacific coast. On the other hand, he said, those in the trade were slightly perturbed at the rising prices in the past few months. The timber trade had been affected by the continued strikes on the Pacific seaboard, whence Australia bought 50 per cent, of her softwoods from Canada in terms of the reciprocal trade treaty between . the two countries, and the erratic supplies had brought about a hardening in quotations. Mr Vanderfield is to visit the Pacific coast to find out the prospects of a regular supply of softwoods and probably to learn the extent to which the timber trade of that country will be affected by the industrial dislocation of the past "few months. He is hopeful that the soundness of the industry in his country will bo maintained. “ Conditions are better than they have been for years,” he added, “ and after the depression years the change is appreciated. Prom the way things are going in Australia at the present time it would seem as though this change for the better will last for some time yet.” .