BUILDING MATERIAL

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20076, 12 October 1920, Page 2

BUILDING MATERIAL

SHORTAGE STILL ACUTE. .Mr W. G. M’Douald, chairman of the. Board of Trade, when interviewed by a reporter yesterday, said that there was still a great shortage of building material. In order to relieve the housing shortage, permits for the building of cottages and essential farm bnildings were still- receiving preference. Ihere was unusual activity in housebuilding, bht on account of the shortago of material the work was delayed. -Mr M’Donald stated that, between duly 1 and September 30.- permits issued under the Beard of trade regulations for building absorbed for the whole of the Dominion approximately •T1,000,000 feet of timber, 46,000 tons of cement, and 03,000,000 bricks. The annual output was approximately 200,000,000 feet of .timber; 120,000 tons of cement and 50,000,000 bricks. It was a difficult matter to estimate what the actual shortage .of all materia! was, but to-day there was approximately a shortage on requirements of 15,000 tons of cement and 9.000,000 bricks. Ho could not state what the actual timber shortage was. The position with regard to cement would be relieved bv importations, but the supplies from overseas would not bn likely to come to hand for two months yet. So far there was very little imported cement .being used in Now Zealand, but it was hoped to obtain some relief from England, Belgium, America and Sweden. In Canterbury the most acute shortage was in regard to timber, aud the only possible means of relief was to baV© regularity of shipping from Greymbhlh. Inless it was possible for vessels to call at Greymouth at regular intervals, the timber could not be supplied in the quantities demanded. ,11' ere was impression in the building trade that, if the export-of building timber from Greymouth Was totally prohibited.-. the timber now going to Australia could be diverted to Christchurch. Mr M’Donald did not think that such a course would prove a remedy for the shortage, because tho beats now engaged in the intercolonial trade would not be diverted to coastal trade. -The vessels mostly engaged ju tlio trade were coal boats trading between Australia and New Zealand bnngmg coal over to New Zealand and Wang timber back to Australia. If tho boats were prevented from getting rno timber loading they would ' be •oveed to go back in ballast, and the 9° a 'J t rel £ht would consequently have e /l r ‘■j l6 CQS k of the running, and the Height on coal would naturidly lie increased. While Christchurch bygetting a larger upply of timber, the sawmillihg indusf, t S? ast b® disorganised and a number of workers would be brown 'out of steady employment.