BUILDING INDUSTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20642, 14 August 1930, Page 14

BUILDING INDUSTRY.

SCHEME FOR REVIVAL. MODERNISING OF PREMISES. GENERAL SUPPORT URGED. Further aspects of llio proposal for the modernising of old buildings in Auckland were discussed hv Mr. 1!. A. Aiekin, chairman of the committee which is launching tho scheme, at a luncheon of the Auckland Credilmcn's Club yesterday. "The state of the building trade at the present time needs no stressing," Mr. Aiekin said. "The . depressed conditions have caused a great deal of concern to those who are interested in tho various branches of the industry. We have been inclined to view it from a personal standpoint, but now there is a scheme to look afc it as a community. It is a schemo to confer a benefit on every section of the trade in the Dominion, for it is hoped that it will prove such a success in Auckland that it will )•<! followed by similar undertakings in other places." Mr. Aiekin quoted official figures relating to the industry. He said that during the year 1929-29 building permits issued in cities, boroughs and town districts in tho Dominion involved £9,000,000. New dwellings accounted for £4,602.000, and additions and alterations for only £622,000, which showed the enormous scope for a modernising scheme in tho way of additions and alterations. Permits for business premises amounted to £1,712,000, and additions and alterations to £809,000. Workers engaged in tho erection of buildings throughout the year averaged 10,500, and their wages amounted to £2,417,000. In addition, £2,320.000 was paid in subcontracts. The industry embraced other branches such as workers in sawmills, of whom 7305 were employed, and to whom £1,686,000 was paid. When the building industry was brisk an enormous amount of money was put into circulation. At the present time the timber industry was in a stato of severe depression. In the ordinary course of events when business was dull and the market was over-supplied, it was the usual thing to start "cut-throat" business, and this had gone oil for some time, until now a state of exhaustion had been reached. "At no time have supplies of timber in Auckland been so far in excess of requirements as to-day," Mr. Aiekin said. "As far as new buildings arc concerned, saturation point has not only been reached, but passed." Premises to let were to bo found in many places, he said. For the most part they were out-of-dato, and in a state of dilapidation. There wore no inquiries for this type of property to-day. Instances could be pointed out of an old house being modernised, and following this half a dozen others being brought up to modern standards in tho same street. Any community movement brought forward for tho restoration of such an important industry as tho building trade i demanded the fullest possible support.