SHORTAGE OF TILES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22987, 15 March 1938, Page 7

SHORTAGE OF TILES

STATE HOUSING RESULT OTHER SUPPLIES AMPLE DIFFICULTY IN STEEL ORDERS A temporary shortage of cement roofing tiles is at present embarrassing the building industry. The available stocks, which were considered to be ample in January, have suffered heavy inroads through orders for Government houses, and merchants dealing in these tiles stated last night that efforts to obtain small stocks for other purposes had failed. The tiles are of local manufacture and it is not thought that the shortage will last long. It was stated that the substantial increase in building activity of a certain type had made it necessary for the tile industry to be correspondingly expanded. The State cottages were being roofed with coloured tiles, and so great had been the demand from manufacturers that one firitf said it and other firms were installing new plant to cope with the orders. Until this plant had been set up the shortage would continue if orders'were maintained at their present high level. Other materials, such as bricks, cement, lime, sand, shingle and wallboarding, were stated to bo in good supply and no shortage was anticipated. Timber supplies were also ample. A different position has existed for some time past with commercial construction where " hard " materials are needed, such as iron and steel in any form. When it became obvious that British firms could not attend to orders because of shortage occasioned by rearmament programmes, arrangements were made in many instances for the goods to be supplied by Australia. Such building materials as steel reinforcing rods, joints and corners, were ordered from Australian manufacturers months ago, but, although it was then stated that the orders would he fulfilled within two months, this time limit had been greatly exceeded in many cases. The result has been that many orders are up to nine months late.