BUILDING TRADE IN WELLINGTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LX, Issue 9348, 20 April 1909, Page 5

BUILDING TRADE IN WELLINGTON.

BETTER TIMES LOOKED FOR

The buildiug trade is ofteu said to afford oue of the surest iudices of a city's financial position. Judged by the latest indications, better times iv Welliugtou aro approaching. Six mouths ago the suburban building operatious fell off by quite two-thirds, aud though a little improvement was manifested after two or three mouths, the volume kept comparatively small. Iv the city the falling off was less sudden, but it was steadily experienced uutil the totals dropped to ouly au eighth or uiuth of what they had been, aud iv oue fortnightly period they fell to less thau £6000. After this there was gradual improvement, aud a receut fortnightly period report submitted to the City Couucil by its chief buildiug inspector (Mr W. Murdoch) showed that permits had been issued for buildings in the city which were valued at some £15,000. That iucrease is likely to be accentuated iv the uear future, for the inspector has ou bis table at the preseut time, plaus of projected works iv the city, which have beeu set down by the architects at au aggregate value of £81,000. Nearly one-half of this total is for oue work—the Uuiou Steamship Company's uew offices—but the remaining £40,"000 odd is made up of a goodly uumber of large buildings, and the effect of these works upou the labour market should be extremely beneficial at the preseut time. The figures quoted above take uo account of the big contract involved iv the construction for the Goverumeut of the uew General Post Office, uor of the new post office at Te Aro, aud oue or two mi uor jobs vow iv progress for tbe Government; so, all iv all, the immediate prospects for the city are of a much riore favourable nature thau seemed probable a little while ago.— Post.