A TIMBER “RING” IN WELLINGTON.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2059, 10 December 1907, Page 3

A TIMBER “RING” IN WELLINGTON.

FORCING UP THE' PRICES. AND KEEPING A “BLACK LIST.” (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 9. From statements made by a builder here irt would seeni as if a timber “ring” existed in AA’ellington. The builder quotes prices here and at Nelson and on the AVest Coast in support of his statement. Asked by a Post reporter why he did not iinpont from Nelson he replied, “If I dill so the timber ring would not leit me h ive another stiVk. In fact, I did place an order with a miller here after being refused by one firm. He undertook to let me have the timber, but rang up later in the day saying he was sorry lie could not execute the order, as our firm was on the black list, presumably because we had been purchasing out of Wellington, as usually was the case. AYe have 25 houses to build, bint we cannot go on with them at the price timber is now. The reason why timber is cheaper in Nelson is because there is net a timber ring in (that place. At Greymoiith I saw some remarkably well-finished houses thatcost £250 each to put up. They could not be put up in AVellington under £450 each. The price of labor docs not make the difference; it is ■the enormous variation in the price of timber. Here we cannot get timber. In the country, in places like Wairarapa or Tailia-ue. millers there will not sell in the AVellington market against local firms. A project is on foot among, a number of builders here to purchase bush and cut for themselves. The present high rents in AVellington are largely due to the exorbitant prices of timber. It is not the builder who is getting the profit.”