PRICE OF TIMBER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 450, 4 February 1909, Page 3

PRICE OF TIMBER.

Wellington, February.

Timber prices are down for the first time for many months, the builder is able to secure supplies at something less than “ boom ” prices, and perhaps the change for the better from the builders’ point of view, only may have a bracing effect upon the languishing building trade. While it is impossible to exactly indicate the extent of the reductions because the Timber Merchants’ Association has not issued a new list, inquiries among merchants and a few builders indicate that the reductions average about is 6d per hundred feet on general building lines, and possibly more on special lines compared with the price list of three months ago.

“Yes, this is a good time to build,” remarked one of the biggest merchants, “At the beginning of last year trade was very good, and the difficulty was that we could not supply orders. About six months afterwards the demand lessened, and now it is very slack because there is very little doing especially with small houses. Millers are cutting the price to keep their mills going and merchants are doing the same.”

“Is not the millers’ difficulty caused by over production ?” the merchant was asked.

“ It is over production now,” replied the merchant, “ but it was not over production some time ago when they could not cut enough to fill orders. The whole difficulty, whichever way you look at it, is caused by the scarcity of money.”

Prices, it appears from inquiries among the merchants, have gone down generally, but they vary as some firms seem more anxious to do business than others, and they are willing to quote low prices to good customers who will meet their accounts promptly. This is a time for caution among the timber merchants as well as other people, and it is just now they take no risks.