THE BUILDING TRADE

Otago Witness, Issue 3581, 31 October 1922, Page 60

THE BUILDING TRADE

BOOM IN AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND, October 22. After a long period of depression tho Auckland building trade has now undoubtedly “turned the corner.” The last few months have seen a revival of activity that is characterised by one authority as very nearly approaching a boom. “Trade is busier now than it has been for years,’* he said, “and building is going on in every direction. I think -ce < f the chief factors in the present position it ih.at people have at last realised the truth of what we have been telling them for a long time past, that prices were not likely to fall any further. This idea that there was going to be a great drop was responsible for the holding up of work in every architect's oil ice. Clients are now awake to the true position and are going ahead with confidence that prices have reached l-edrock. If any change occurs it is more likely to be of ail upward than a downward tendency. As a matter of fact pnoes have finned considerably in. some directions during the past month or two, and so far as the financial aspect is concerned June and July of this year were the most favourable months for building. There was ample labour of all kinds available, and builders could pick and choose their men. There is keen competition among the contractors now, and where carpenters and others were glad to accept 2s 3d an hour six months ago they are now asking and in some cases getting 2s 6d and 2s 9d. The coming of spring lias drawn to tho country a certain amount of la 1 sour, and whenever the supply of labour is lessened there is a tendency toward higher pay.”