THE BUILDING TRADE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3129, 27 January 1911, Page 5

THE BUILDING TRADE.

A GREAT RISE IN PRICES. [PEE PEESS ASSOCIATION. 3 AUCKLAND, Jan. 26. “The building trade in Auckland may be brisk, but it is no criterion that our lot is of the happiest’’ said a well-known builder, to a “Star” reporter, when discussing the cost of material this morning. “The fact is,” he added, “we are in°a particularly unsatisfactory position. As the population of the city grows, building must progress. People must have houses, and must pay the price asked, but the fact that it costs 10 per cent, more to-day to build a house or shop, than it did 12 months ago, doesn’t help us any. Timber has gone up four shillings per 100 ft. inside a year, and bricks have increased in price to the extent of 15s per thousand during a similar period. Lime and sand, carting and accessories, have increased in the same way. Carpenters asking for a rise. “Now carpenters are asking that the minimum wage be raised from Is 4d to Is 6d per hour. There are atl least a thousand carpenters at present employed in Auckland, and it is quite safe to say that, the majority receive more than tlie minimum wage. Many of them receive 12, 13. and even 14 shillings opr day, because they are worth it. Employers, for the most part, however, object to any increase of the minimum, because that means paying a poor carpenter more than he is worth, and also because an increase would be ultimately used as a. lever for more by the higher paid men. Altogether the builder finds Ins position unenviable.

THE INCREASED PRICE OF TIMBER.

Competition amongst contractors is keen yet; there' is no competition in the price op the material the most, largely used. The last rise of two shillings per 100 ft. in the price of timber was attributed mainly to the fact that sawmill hand's and timber getters had received an increase in pay under the new award,' but the increase granted to the employees could not have warranted anything like such a rise in tlie price of timber. “To-day it costs from £<s to £IOO more to build a plain five roomed cottage than it did 10 years ago. . Ihe question is, when will the increase in prices reach a limit?” • Several- others connected with the building trade in Auckland expressed similar views on increased cost in building in the city.