COSTS ARE LOWER.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 493, 30 June 1932, Page 5

COSTS ARE LOWER.

Revival of Building Suggested. I NEW ASSOCIATION, The fact that to-day building costs - are at least 25 per cent lower than in 1927, which was not a peak year, was emphasised at a largely-attended meet--5 ing yesterday afternoon of representa--2 tives of building and allied interests. Mean:; of reviving the building industry > were discussed and it was decided to form in Christchurch an association on similar lines to the Allied Building Industries, associated with the New Zea--1 land Institute of Architects, recently formed in Wellington, to give impetus to the scheme. Mr W. Thomson pre-, - sided. This decision was arrived at after the objects of the Wellington organisation had been explained by Mr Arthur • Seed, secretary of the Sawmillers’ - Federation in Wellington, and chair* ■ man of the new movement. At the outset Mr Seed explained that the Unemployment Board’s building j subsidy scheme was something entirely < incidental to the Allied Building Industries Association in Wellington. ’ The first object of the latter organisation was to make it known to the public that a great fall had taken place in the price of building compared with ( two or three years ago. The allied building trades were the key industry in employing labour, and that the great bulk of the unemployed were directly dependent for their livelihood on the building industry. Once J confidence was restored and more 1 activity were put into the building in- s dustrv, a number of allied trades would t be affected and a greater number of t men could be placed in employment i s than through practically any other t single cit}' industry. 1 As an initial step in the campaign, a j a competition was promoted among j t architectural students, a prize beixig j 3 offered for designs of a modest six- i li roomed dwelling. The estimates given s for the modest six-roomed dwelling ' fi based on 1927 figures showed t that a fall in buiimng t of 25 per cexit had occurred, d although some items ran higher than is

others. Hardware, which was mostly imported, showed little drop; timber showed a decline in price of practically 30 per cent; paperhanging, owing to people being content with a more modest quality of wallpaper, permitted a slight cheapening in costs; painting had not decreased greatly; and the cost of plumbing had decreased so far as labour costs were concerned. The Subsidy Scheme. Discussing the building subsidy scheme, Mr Seed stated that the main idea actuating the desire to put tradesmen back into their proper occupations was that it was felt that it was a definite national waste to have genuinely competent tradesmen either wholly unemployed or being put to work wholly unsuited to their craftsmanship. They were becoming disheartened and many were losing their skill. The Unemployment Board considered that, instead of having these men a definite charge on the community, it would be infinitely better if the 22s fid they received by way of relief pay could be paid as part of their wages for employment at their own trades. Mr C. 8. M’Cully wanted to know how far the Unemployment Board would go in giving assistance in the event of a large building being undertaken. Mr Seed said that there was no limit other than the period that the subsidy would apply. The sum of 25s was to be paid for 80 per cent of the men employed from the unemployment register. That subsidy would continue until July, 1933. when it would be reduced to one half.