TIMBER FOR HOUSES

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 278, 18 August 1921, Page 5

TIMBER FOR HOUSES

A WEST COAST RESOLUTION.

By Telegraph —Press Association. Hokitika, August 17.The Westland Branch of the Canterbury Progress League carried the following motion last night:—"That in view of the appalling social conditions existing in Christchurch owing to tho shortage of housing accommodation as disclosed by a deputation from the Ladies’ Social Welfare Guild, which waited on the Canterbury members of Parliament on the 6th instant, and in view of the increasing unemployment in the timber industry on the Coast, the executive of the league urges upon the Board of Trade the advisability t>f making some pronouncement respecting the prospecte of any fluctuation in tho price of timber, as disclosed by the recent investigation of the cost of production on the Coast, and tho branch considers that the Board of Trade should bo asked either to exercise its powers in readjusting prices of timber, if such are unwarrantably high, or make such pronouncement ns would assure prospective builders that some stability of the value of houses may be counted upon." In the course of the discussion it was stated that July orders for timber showed that only 25 per cent, of the normal output was required. It was also stated'that unemployment i» now beginning to be keenly felt, ar.d that the industry hero was only nt the beginning of a very severe strain.