PAINTS AND OILS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 94, 15 January 1919, Page 4

PAINTS AND OILS

NO REDUCTION IN PRICES.

The conditions prevailing in the painting trade and in the white lead and linseed oil industries, by which it is directly affected, make it a practical certainty that the price of paints and oils will not only show no reduction during,at least the next twelve months, but may tend to increase during that period, remarks the "New Zealand Herald." . Before tho war the main source of the world's supply of linseed oil was the Baltic provinces, but none has been received from these parts during the past four years. Other countries producing linseed were India and tho Argentine, practically the whole of tho supplies received by Britain and the overseas dominions during the war have come from India. Advice has just ■ been received in Auckland that tho influenza epidemic in India has taken a particularly heavy toll of linseed producers and workers, and as the sowing season is" now at hand, planters will have difficulty in securing an adequate supply of suitable labour, and it is anticipated that next season's output will in consequence be considerably reduced. Owing to tho perturbed, state of tho Baltic provinces it is considered highly improbable that linseed oil will be available from this source for at least twelve months. These facts have led to the belief that linseed oil will be sold at a higher figure during Hie present year than ever before. Latterly Australia has imported linseed from India, and has erected machinery to extract the oil. Supplies for New Zealand are now mainly drawn from Australia acid India, and tho quantity received lias been barely sufficient to meet requirements. Four years ago linseed oil was retailed in Auckland at 3s. 6d. a gallon; the market price to-day is 10s. a gallon. White lead was quoted in Auckland in 1914 at £36 a ton, but it is not now obtainable under £80 a ton. Prior to the war, supplies were received from Britain, but practically none is aviiving from this source at present. During the war period a large white lend manufactory was erected in Australia, •and latterly it has heen supplying tho needs of both the Australian Commonwealth and Nov? Zealand. It is not anticipated that there will be sivr appreciable reduction in the price of white lead' and paints, owing to the higher wages and shorter hours eoncvlctl to labour, both in Australia and Britain.