Disposal of Cement.

Hokitika Guardian, 6 April 1921, Page 1

Disposal of Cement.

NO MORE RESTRICTION

The Board of Trade announced on Saturday the removal of all restrictions on the disposal of cement. The supply has increased at a greater rate than tho demand which, indeed has slackened considerably, and it is not considered necessary any longer to ration supplies of tlie indispensable material to builders.

The opinion in the building trade according to the frank opinion given tr a Wellington “Post” representative by one prominent builder, is that the step taken bv the Board of Trade has come rather late in the day to have much beneficial effect. Had the embargo on free distribution been removed six months ago it might have given a real stimulus to building, hut since then the financial stringency had intervened and many plans had been postponed. Competition was keen among builders for any job that was going, and a similar competition might he expected in tin labour world of building. Jobs f which twelve months ago there might have been one or two tenders now brought eight or nine, and naturally

prices would come down accordingly. Cement, was plentiful. Several oversea cargoes had arrived, and others wen on the water. These supplementing !<■ cal manufacturs were hound to bring about a reduction. Two of the three chief local cement manufacturing concerns had raised their prices only t come down again, while the third had kept its quotations unaltered. Timber had risen, but only temporarily, it was Irelieved. and competition from the West Coast might enter into that field of building material also. There was ample glass now available on the mar ket. and prices had dropped very great - y. Tt is not unlikely there will lie a considerable fall in hardware and other materials required. Bricks were not in the same class ns there never had been much profit in them. The demand, however. had substantially decreased. Altogether there was a disposition on the part of the public -to put off building for a while yet until prices reached steady level when there would probably fie considerable activity. The present state of the money market was ndverv to abnormal enterprise in eonsiruethu mid reconstruction, Loth in pul»!ie buildings and private dwellings.