THE HOUSE SHORTAGE.

Waipa Post, Volume XII, Issue 944, 20 May 1920, Page 3

THE HOUSE SHORTAGE.

GOVERNMENT URGED TO BUILD.

DEMANDS OF LABOUR BODIES

Suggestions for Government action to make possible an alleviation of the present shortage of houses were made by a deputation from the Carpenters’ and Joiners’ Union and other labour bodies which waited on the Prime Minister in Wellington recently The deputation \vas introduced by Mr P. Fraser, M.P. The first and most important request made was that the export of timber from the country should be absolutely prohibited. Mr Singleton, secretary of the Wellington Carpenters’ Union, said that in his capacity as secretary of the Union he had to go round to every job in the city, and everywhere he found that work was held up for a shortage of some sort of timber required for some special purpose. There was a general shortage all round. Several builders had told him that they had had to refuse work owing to being unable to get timber. Some builders had given up business altogether ,and these were not the men who had just come into the business, but men who had been building contractors for a number of years. He had found also that owing to the lack of timber suitable for joinery one at least of the joinery shops had had to close, and in the case of another the employer had put off his men and he was simply jobbing himself until he could be assured of supplies. The shortage timber was chiefly felt among the smaller builders, who were generally the men who built houses and cottages. IThe larger cohtractors, or most of them, had monetary interests in sawmills or timber yards, and they could be sure of getting supplies, either from their own concerns or by buying far in advance of requirements m large quantities.

THE PRIME MINISTER’S REPLY.

TIMBER AND COAL.

Mr Massey, in reply, said he understood that the deputation had asked for three things—that the export of timber be prohibited, that building operations be limited to residences, and that the duty on imported timber should be removed. It was within the knowledge of them all that every carpenter in New Zealand at the present time was fully employed. He did not think that there had ever been so much work in the way of building operations as at present. How many houses were being built he could not tell. He had asked the Department for a census of the number of houses building, but he had not yet had the information. He admitted the tremendous shortage of houses in Wellington and other centres, and he thought that it was particularly owing to the .'act that during the war period there was an interruption in building snd the community cad fallen int.c arrears in this respect. These arrears would have to be regained, and he believed that we were overhauling the deficiency, if somewhat slowly.

With regard to the complaint about thd export of timber, .Mr Massey said he wished t to 1:3 understood that there was no indiscriminate or unregulated export of timber. He did not think it would be difficult to prevent the export of timber if it were not for our own necessity to import coal from Australia. This country did not produce enough coal for its own requirements, and it had-to go to Australia. The Government of Australia took up this position: that if we wanted coal we must be prepared to let Australia have timber. They must have our timber.

Mr Singleton: Is that why they put a duty on it?

Mr Massey: I noticed that duty the other day. I think they must be in need of the money. He continued that eighteen months ago, when there was an agitation for the stoppage of the export of white pine to Australia, the Australian authorities told the New Zealand Government that they wanted white pine, and that if we did not give it to them they, would not give us any coal. We must have coal and we must import it from Australia. The vessels bringing it must have a return freight to Australia.