The Building Trade.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 26 November 1912, Page 2

The Building Trade.

uusr times

Levin and district is sharing fully in the briskness which is characterising the building business throughout New Zealand. While the substantial buildings that have- been erected within the past few months in Oxford street, and the prospect of more going up in the near future, testify to a steady, state of prosperity in the town itself, tho development of outside hamlets like Koputaroa, Oluiu and Manakau proceeds steadily apace. One of the main factors in building up a town i.s tho gradual growth of its outside districts. Houses spring up on the countryside, land is brought into cultivation, stores lor the immediate requirements of the settlers arc built, and scon .small and nourishing communities come into existence. These pioneer communities form the aesophagus of a town, for while the urban district is chiefly concerned in selling and buying, the rural communities, in opening up hitherto undeveloped country, introduce a fresh element of commerce and trade, into a town from which the business section reaps a sure return. One, cjf the precise indications of a town's latent possibilities is the character :if its immediate surroundings, and when the builder is .seen erecting new farm houses, when dainty villages, here and there, greet the eve. and amis of alluvial land, once

!>;m\ rejoice in luxuriant crops, there is ''the" unquestionable evidence Hint the central town Ikis a future before it. Within the past six mouths the building trade in Levin and district has 1)oon particularly active, and mi one i.s more qaalilied to speak on the matter than Mr. G. K. Douglas, the wellknown builder, of Oxford .street, Levin. He told a Chronicle reporter yesterday that for the past twelve months he and his staff had boon working full tiino. Not only in Levin lias be carried out orders. but in all the surrounding townships the operations of his hands are visible in the pawnee of stable premises in (In , business portions of the rising townships and pretty villas nestling ami<l arboreous surroundings. Mr Douglas has just erected a residence at Oliau, and now business has called him on ,a similar Mission to Packakariki. As soon as be lias completed his work there he will have other buildings to erect-— business and residential ones—in Levin's immediate neighbourhood. ■•This briskness of trade in our line, locally." he remarked yesterday, "is typical of what is faking place all over the island. There is a big

demand for artihVors and my .staff has boon kept up to higii pressure for months past. So long as a man puts up a good house—stability, the latest improvements, and tasteful decorative work being essential -you may depend upon the public wanting that man. At nil events, this has been (he case with mo, and so far as I can see il a builder carefully observes the essentials 1 have emphasised, gives full value for money, he ought not to complain for want of work.' . Of course, there is a tiinuicial stringency just now, but locally the outlook appears to be easier, and. this in itself is an encouraging factor. Mr Douglas was not inclined to enter into any details of his own operations, and the reporter contented himself with a facts in reply io questions. This, after all, i.s the keynote of business, Mr Douglas tenders for work ; his tender is accepted, 'and then lie conconirales his attention upon hi.s own work in hand, holding thai the eoin- , pleted task is his best testimonial.