CORRUGATED IRON.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 14136, 9 June 1919, Page 7

CORRUGATED IRON.

WHY PRICES ABE HIGH. Although the retail price of corrugated iron in New Zealand has decreased considerably to what it was during the height of the war. the figure at the present day does not tend to lessen the cost of building to any material extent in thus respect. In conversation with leading firms of Palmerston, who deal heavily in this material, a “ Times’ ’ reporter was supplied with a few interesting figures. Before the war it transpired the several firms were paying from £lB to £2l and £22 per ton for good English manufacture. During the more strenuous periods of war the prices soared as high as £IOO to £llO. One firm visited stated that corrugated iron in England was so scarce that the manufacturers could not quote a definite figure, lot alone quote a price delivered. The present retail prices quoted by this firm ranged between £6O and £7O a ten, although they had been enabled to sell at a little below the former figure at times. Questioned as to the present price of corrugated iron in England, the reporter was informed it was somewhere in the proximity of £lO. Of course, that was not f.0.b., nor did it include any charge for handling outside of the manufacturer's hands. American iron w r as certainly cheaper, but the quality was not there. A great difficulty experienced by builders to-day was when, owing to the scarcity, partly American, English and Australian iron had to be used. It was explained that the American iron was totally different from others, the corrugations or grooves being of a different kind, and more flat, in consequence of which the corrugations of the various manufacturers did not mesh. Another local firm quoted the price at £7O a ton, it being said that it cost £6O landed in Wellington, and in addition to that there were freight and handling charges from there. They could get no satisfaction regarding the ruling price in England, and it was generally understood that the ruling price would be the same as on the day the goods were shipped. The Now Zealand market was practically empty, and one Wellington merchant had recently disposed of two shipments without putting one sheet in store. There is, and would bo for many years to come, a great difficulty in obtaining various lines of hardware, such _ as spades, shovels, etc, and also various heavier lines. This was attributed to the , shortage of raw material. Then, again, it was evident that many manu- ( facturers had not got back into their stride, as in pre-war days, a number of them having allowed their machinery to bo turned into other lines of production in connection with the war. Unless the New Zealand market was flooded, which was hardly expected, there would be no immediate substantial “drop” in the price of corrugated iron, other than a gradual periodical decrease. It was a strange thing,, said one firm, to notice that the Wellington merchants were getting rid of wire at from £lO to £l2 a ton dead less. That was due to the market being suddenly flooded. The man in a small way had immediately quoted the retailors and others at £4O to £SO a ton. No response was forthcoming, and, being only in a small way, these men were compelled to turn the stock into money at practically any "price. Thereupon they commenced to “cut,” and, naturally enough, competition set in, which terminated in the goods being disposed of at a loss.