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Timaru Herald, Volume CXLI, Issue 20340, 12 February 1936, Page 13

Twenty-five years ago, when a resident built his house on the North Shore, Auckland, he put up a long paling fence of 48 yards at a tendered price of 2/8 per yard, labour and material included. Recently, the heavy gale played havoc with the fence, as most of the scantlings were rotten. After looking up his old accounts to see what the costs were, the resident decided to get a quotation for a new fence, even although the cost might be double the former price of £6/8/-. He got a bit of an eye-opener when he was told that the best kauri 25 years ago cost only 25/- per 100 ft., and it was nearly /9/- to-day. All other timber had risen in proportion, it was stated. Four by two scantling of rough heart of kauri for fencing was now worth 42/- per 100 ft., palings were sold by the 100 at 70/-, and even rough posts were three times their former price. The average price today for a sft substantial paling fence was 3/6 per running foot, or roughly £25 for 48 yards—four times the amount of 1911.