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Hokitika Guardian, 13 February 1925, Page 2

Pkopi.k say that before they can afford to build a house the price of timber must come down, hut that the timber scare is a fallacy is the view of Mr Arthur Seed, the secretary of the Dominion Federated Sawmillers’ Association. who. in the course of an interview in Wellington, discussed that problem of the “houseless,” and advai'od reasons for the present high cost of building. “People talk about the high cost of timber,” lie remarked, “but they are labouring under a delusion with regard to timber being a measurable factor in the present high cost of building, as it only means 18 percent of the cost of a house. The high cost of a new dwelling is dim to the higher rates of wages ruling for carpenters and the other employees concerned. Then, again, roofing iron, and all kinds of hardware used in the construction of a dwelling are very much dearer now than they were before the war. Likewise ;the modern convert! icncos that are now demanded as a matter of course have contributed considerably to the added cost of building n hoii.se to-day, as compared with the price of a new dwelling, say. ten years ago. The public is inclined always to blame'the cost of timber when talking about the high cost of building, but people forget the many other factors that enter into the question.”