BUILDING TRADE

Southland Times, Issue 21831, 7 October 1932, Page 6

BUILDING TRADE

PROSPECTS BRIGHTER IMPROVEMENT IN WESTERN DISTRICT MORE JOBS IN SIGHT Since learning of the great success achieved by the allied building movements of northern cities in their efforts to encourage people to build, repair and modernize, Invercargill interests have bestirred themselves in an endeavour to share in the boom. As announced elsewhere in this issue, an Industries’ Week is to be held in this city commencing on October 17. All those connected with the building trade are co-operating to bring before the public the advantages of getting work done to-day while costs are at their lowest ebb since before the war. There are evidences in Southland that the building trade is now commencing to emerge from its period of stagnation. Cheering news to this effect was forthcoming yesterday from Mr Charles Provan, secretary of the allied building trades, who has recently returned from a visit to the Western District. There, he said, he had noticed a much brighter tone, better than there had been for the last twelve months. At Tuatapere the trade was picking up well and, what was more, there were a good many jobs in sight. There was also a large quantity of raw timber coming out from the sawmills.

Values of imports of timber during the month of August, as reported by the Customs tb the State Forest Service, have been as follows: From Australia, £6269; Canada, £909; United States, £700; Japan, £1427; Sweden (butter boxes), £551; West Africa, £3l; Russia, £lO. Exports of New Zealand timber were as follows: Kauri, £944; rimu, £1316; beech, £3606; white pine, £11,416; case and other timber, £1313. Small exports of kauri and beech were made to the United Kingdom; the white pine was all exported to Australia. Christchurch Builder Enthusiastic.

Stating that he had £ll,OOO worth of work in hand, and was tendering for further jobs of a value estimated at between £60,000 and £70,000, Mr W. H. Williamson, builder, of Christchurch, talked with enthusiasm the other day of the Unemployment Board’s building subsidy scheme. He thought there was no doubt about the improvement it had effected in the trade generally, and said the board should be congratulated on having brought it forward. “The scheme is one way of helping the unemployment existing in the trade, as it has had the effect of making the public realize that now is the time to have work carried out at a minimum cost, regardless of whether it is done under this scheme or not,” said Mr Williamson.

“It can definitely be said that prospects for the future are very much brighter,” declared Mr Williamson in conclusion.