Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, APRIL 13th 1920 BUILDING MATERIAL.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 April 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star TUESDAY, APRIL 13th 1920 BUILDING MATERIAL.

The “Dunedin Star,” in an article on the building trade, says that prices have not yet reached their zenith. Oregon that was sold in Dunedin five years ago at 14s 6d per 100 ft. is to-day quoted at 60s. Red wood is up in much the same ratio. All American woods are advancing owing to altered money values and labour troubles; and as the loading of freights from America for New Zealand is likely to cease altogether for a while prices are practically sure to go to a very high figure. From what can be made out, Australian buyers are offering American lumber people better prices than are obtainable in New Zealand. Relief from our own mills is not likely to be afforded in the immediate future. Few, if an, orders are being taken by the Southland mills for new business. They are short of hands and out of stocks, and are struggling on to fulfil the orders on hand. There is timber on the West Coast, continues tile Star, but the difficulty is to- find ships to bring it, and alongside of that there is the ever-present demand from Australia, this causing much of the timber to be diverted thither. Dunedin is not alone in respect to these troubles; every other part of New.’Zealand is feeling them acutely. Red pine is up Is 6d per 100 feet, as compared with a month ago, and black pine, totara etc., have also increased. Kauri is absolutely unobtainable except in small parcels from men who happen to have a little lying about. Town stocks of dry timber are practically depleted. Those in the trade say they see very little prospect of a reduction in prices. Freights may ease somewhat, but labour is on the up grade, and here and there we hear, as a consequence of contracts being thrown up, or concessions as to price being asked for as the alternative to ruinous losses. Other building materials are leaping ahead at- an alarming rate. The manager of a hardware firm said this morning that there is just one grade of corrugated iron on the market, a good English iron for which the price is £73 per +on, an advance of £lO within two months, and the chances are that it will go higher. Nails have been steadily going up all this year, and are now quotable at £54 per ton. Thqse are English nails. The American and Belgian makers ask values that are absolutely prohibitive. Galvanised piping is now quoted at list price plus 45 per cent. Before the war it used to be less 70- per cent., a rise equalling 400 per cent. Locks, hinges and other hardware sundries, are all on the up grade, by the the last home mail the manufacturers advise that they are now charging the prices ruling at the date of export, so that merchants in New Zealand c annot tell what the cast will be till the goods arrive. White lead, oils, and paints are j all at prices hitherto unheard of.

Last week Mr T. D. Burnett, M.P. fob Tenuikn, returned to Christchurch from a visit to the West Coast, where, according to an interview in the Christchurch Press he went to ascertain at first hand information on various matters which would he likely to be of use to- him in his- place in the House. “With the approaching completion of the Otira tunnel, let us again disabuse our minds of the thought that we have here in Canterbury done our duty to our little brother of Westland,” remarked Mr Burnett. “That duty will have but begun. Ross, Hokitika, Grcymouth, and Reefton will certainly be linked up with the great South Island railway system, but Westport and all its immense coal deposits will till be isolated from the rest of Now Zealand except for the coal boat by sea and the motor-car by land. If we are *o helo ourselves to greater supplies of co.d, we must help Westport to get at the coal. In order to get at that coa l we must insist on the completion of sixteen ir ilos of line, being the la.-t link in the railway connecting Westport with Reefton running through the far-famed Buller gorge. By insisting on the completion of this link, not only would w c he removing one of the Dominion’s scandals fa railroad construction, where £,©4,000 has been spent on 31 miles of line almost absolutely non-productive where the rails are rusting away and the bridges decaying, but even if we only stipulate that eight miles from the Westport end he pushed into the Buller gorge, we would be helping to tap a coal area estimated to contain some 70,000,000 tons of household coal of high grade quality. 'Lot us help to spread out the opportunities of coal-

mining as much as possible; let us encourage the application of the principle of working ownerh s ip in mines a s well as in land, and then, to use the words of a West Coaster to me, ‘You people in Canterbury will see how we will tear out the coal.’ One point more : Everywhere one sees the country development ' starved for the want of efficient, wellorganised labour. I am convinced that we will never really begin to develop New Zealand’s possibilities by public works, until tlxe Public Works Department is run on quasi-military .'hies —a flying division of picked skilled men, married for preference, with, an i fficient staff, both engineers and medical, portable hospital, school, and accommodation generally, the best attention l>cing paid to sanitation that circumstances would permit and with pay and allowI ances the best the Dominion could ! afford. With such a division tackling our great public works in turn, aid concentrating on them, the 'results would he ovenvhelmingly better than the oreeent ‘come day, go-day style,’ when -t is only the ‘old roots’ of married men that ‘stick it,’ and the rest move on when the novelty of the job wears off.”

Sir SI. Krakowsky gives a warning in this issue to; trespassers on his land at South Hokitika. The Reeftori races take place to-mor-' row. The train service permits patrons i from here witnessing the meeting and returning the same night. The- Rev. A. Here, formerly of Hokitika and Kumara, has resigned the cure of St. Albans, as urgent private affairs have made it necessary for him and his wife to return to England at the earliest possible opportunity. Tenders are invited for the purchase of the plant and equipment of the Westland ICapitea Brick Coy., Ltd., in liquidation. Particulars appear in this issue. Tenders close at noon on the 30th with Mr R. Wild.

Owng to the Borough Council meeting this evening, the meeting of the Westland Chamber of Commerce has been adjourned for a week. The conference .with regard to the proposed Progress League will be deferred also for a week.

The Ross Returned Soldiers’ will hold a monster ball in the Totara Hail, Ross, on Friday, April 23rd. A strong committee have the arrangements in hand, and a very enjoyable gathering should result.

In regard to the Massey Handicap, to be run at the Royal Race Meeting at Auckland during the visit of the Prince of Wales, and in which 66 horses arc engaged, the Auckland Racing Club has decided to divide the race, and run it in two sections, with a stake of £SOO in each section. The provisional list for the Westland roll of honor for the war memorial has been drafted as far as possible, and copies niay be seen at the Town Hall and County Office. Additional names are to be added as the information comes to hand, and this information is now invited from any who can supply same.

A meeting of the Westland War Memorial Committee will be held on Thursday night at 7.30 o’clock to make final ararngementg. ..fop the canvassing campaign, and to arrange in conjunction with the Returned Soldiers and .the clergy a programme for Anzac Day, when it is proposed to lay the foundation stone of the war memorial.

A Gift Social in aid of the All Saints Ladies’ Sewing Guild wi|l lie held in the Church schoolroom this (Tuesday) evening, April 13th, at 8 p.m. The Vicar (The Rev J. E. Holloway) is arranging for a Lantern entertainment. Admis' sion by gift of material or donation for the Sewing Guild. On this occasion slides will be shown of New Zealand Alpine scenery. A choice collection of scenes from negatives taken by Mr Otto Frind of the Canadian Alpine Club will be explained by Dr E. Teichelmann.

The prizes for the euchre tournament in St. Mary’s Club Rooms to-morrow night are most suitable for this season of the year. If you win the gent’s first prize, two bags of tlio best coal will be left at your house next day. The winning lady gets a large tin of tea—a commodity both scarce and expensive in these times. There are also good seconds, and as usual the Committee supply an excellent supper and two pleasant hours’ dancing. Admission only Is. Starts punctual at 8 p.m. —Advt.

Mr William Pengelly, an old and well known resident of Hokitika, passed away at the residence of his daughter, (Mrs G. Hutchison), Camden St. Feilding, at the age of 82 years on Good Friday April 2nd. He was born at Looe ) Cornwall and was educated in Greenwich naval school. He spent his youth in the .British Navy on hoard the Frigate “President” under Admiral Price, and served in the Crimean War. Ho arrived in New Zealand with the 70th Regiment from Calcutta on board the Daniel Rankin, landing at Auckland for the Maori War. He also took part in Gabriel Gully gold rush, and went to Wangapeka and afterwards to Westport and Hokitika. At the latter place ho kept a drapery establishment for many years. Mr Pengelly spent his latter years in Feilding. He leaves a widow and 2 sons, (Messrs W. Pengelly of Feiiding, and A. C. Pengelly, Wellington), and five daughters, (Mrs Hutchison and E. Pengelly of Feilding, Mrs W. E. Chunn of Masterton, Mrs McMahon of New Plymouth, and Mrs Sam (Breach of Lower Hutt, Wellington) .

No more grinding of teeth "'ith WADE'S WORM FTCS. For Bronchial Coughs, take Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure 1/9, 2/9 Don’t leave the lightness and digestibility of your scones and cakes to chance. Use SHART-ANTI'S Baking Powder - it is hound to rise. Shine your tan shoes with “TAN-OL” —the bi-illilrnt polish that won’t rub oil. A sure and pleasant specific for removing Worms is WADE’S WORM FTOS

A meeting of Trustees of Hokitika Savings Bank will be held on Friday at 3 p.m.

At the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court ) Charles Edward Jones, auctioneer, was charged under Section 5 of the Additional War Regulations, with selling firearms without a permit.. The firearms were two old rifles, which were sold by public auction. The defendants who pleaded ignorance of the regulations, were ordered to pay costs. In the course of a statement on the cost of living made at Wellington on Friday, the Prime Minister stated that a section had been prepared for the Government by the Board of Trade, showing the increase in the cost of imported goods since 1913. The return disclosed that ,taking the price in 1913 as equal- | ]ng the index number of 1000, in 1915, j the number rose to 1210; in 191 1 , to 1889; and in 1919 to 2238.

A man saw an announcement in an ironmonger’s shop the other day as follows:—“Iron sinks,” and he went in and toid the man that he knew that iron sank. “Yes,” said the man: “And time flies, but wine vaults, acid drops, sulphur springs, jam rolls, grass slopes, and music stands; Niagara Falls, moonlight walks, sheep run, Kent hops, and holiday trips; scandal spreads, standard weights, India rubber tires, the organ . stops, and the world goes round, trade ' returns.” The customer bolted. Then he returned, put his head in at th«*J door, and remarked: “Yes, I know, and marble busts.”

The State, Forestry Department reeentily acquired 15 acres of good land at. Hanmer Springs for nursery extension purposes, and at the present time it is being cleared of flax, etc. It is intended to grow greater supplies of trees for planting out and sale to farmers and local bodies. At present there is a shortage of seed owing to purchases from Germany and Austria having been discontinued.. Present supplies are coming from America, but it is stated the germination is not so satisfactory as from seeds imported from the other countries named. A certain amount of pinus in signin'seed is obtained in Now Zealand. The Department lias a large area cleared at the | Balmoral plantation for planting out ; this season. The trees are doing re- | markably well there, in land which was originally covered with stunted manuka and full of rabbit burrows.

Splendid stock of new seasons goods just arrived at McGruers. We are very pleased and well satisfied with the fine styles and wide variety. There are autumn costumes, hats, coats, skirts, fancy goods underwear and lioisery in big variety and the quality of the goods is higher and the prices more moderate than those that have been seen for many a day. McGruer and Co. Hokitika and Greymouth.—Advt. There is only one WOLFE’S the oriSHARLAND’S Baking Powder has never failed to rise Costs less than others— worth more

For influenza, take Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure 1/9, 2/9. Just landed 100 cases choice cooking and dessert apples 8s to 9s per 401 b case. Paterson Michel and Co. Ltd., (Phone No. 2) —Advt. Could there he more beautiful and attractive coats for ladies? A visit to Schroder’s large eipporium will convince the most sceptical that for quantity to select from j quality, reasonableness in price, Schroder’s take the pnim, also for millinery and costumes. Inspection cordially invited.— Advt.

Hokitika grocers contend that the present time is most opportune for circulating the new “KEEP S.MILING” Boot Polish. Price 8d per tin.

For Children’s Hacking Cough. Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure 1/9, 2/9. Good cooks waste nothing. They prefer SHARLAND’S Baking Powder because it ensures best results and IS CHEAPEST.

Every mother is more than pleased to have her boy appearing in a nice new suit, bought at Schroder’s—where you can get suited at less than usual cost. Now is your chance for the holidays.—Advt.

No good housewife can afford to be ivithout SHARLAND’S Baking Pcw]er—the most economical compound on the market