TIMBER EXPORTATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17140, 21 April 1919, Page 6

TIMBER EXPORTATION.

CONCERN AT TE AWAMUTU. THE COST OF BUILDING, [BY teleoraph.— CORRESPONDENT.] TE AWAMUTU. Saturday. At its last meeting the Te Awamutu Chamber i>f Commerce suggested to tho Government that action should bo take/ in limiting the export of New Zealand j timbers to Australia. In 1917, it was ! pointed out that 68,000,000 super-feet : were shipped, and in 1916 the total was ' over seventy millions. It was argued i that an alarming position had to be faced ' in regard to the timber forests of this ' country, and that Australian demands had their present day effects upon the cost of all building operations. It was further decided to urge the Government to offer a prize or bonus to encourage the concentration of thought upon the materials used in building con'ruction. In other lands, the use of hitherto wasto materials had been found possible, thus cheapening and encouraging : building operations. In New Zealand j prizes had been given for flax dressing and other things, and the acute shortage of houses in most centres demanded the sug-1 gested encouragement. J Tho methods of the Workers' Dwellings' Board, in relation to tho plans *ancl specifications of dwellings recontly tendered lor at To Awamutu, were criticised. It was decided to urgo that better plans and other than stereotyped or mutilated specifications bo used in future, and that tae clauses be made definite instead of subject to the goodwill of the inspectors. One builder said he could put up the same houses for fllOO less if working under definite specifications. j