THE HOUSING PROBLEM

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10605, 2 June 1920, Page 5

THE HOUSING PROBLEM

NO SHORTAGE OF TIMBER

"STOP EXPORTING AND COMMANDEER SUPPLIES."

The dearth of dwelling-houses has been a subject for much discussion amongst public bodies of the Dominion for many moutlis, so therefore, it was not surprising that returned soldiers desired to "speak a piece" when in conference yesterday. Tho discussion arose out. of a- remit from Auckland, which road: "That in the opinion of this conference, tho present shortage of house property, the excessive prices thorof, and the scarcity of building operations is largely the direct result of the wholesale exportation of building timber bv most of the large tiiubr 00-operntibns throughout New Zealand, and that tho Government h* urged to stop such exportation and to commandec- all available building material for tho erection of homes." Mr J. D. Harper (Wellington) said f.hat he considered the remit should bo modified to the cud that all the blame not be. placed on the sawnnllers. He knew from personal experience that thero were 3,000,000 feet, of timber or. the skids at Greyroouth awmt ing shipment to Australia, and that •the owners had approached the powers that be, and offered to divert it to Dominion ports if bottoms were provided to shift it. But the powers that bo said '"No," all available space, was required for coal, of which there was an aouto shortage. Admittedly there was a quarter of a million tons of coal awaiting shipment at Grcymouth, but that was no reason why the millora should not receive consideration. Time after time the shipping interests had promised space. Those promises wor6 so much pie-crust. Although a- certain amount of timber was being sent out of the country, it was of no -osft for building purposes. It was not a matter for restricting the export, but rather one for speeding-up the supply of shipping. .No building had been earned on during the war period, and ns a consequence the shortage of dwel-ling-houses was very acute throughout tha Dominion. Despite this fact, enormous quantities of timber were allowed to remain on the skids at the southern port, and the worst feature of the trouble was that if it were not shifted in the noar future the millers would stop cutting. TTc did not know if the position was the samo in other parts of tho Dominion, but in view of what was happening nt Greymouth he thought that the rwirart. should he modified an he had indicated.

Mr D. Mcßuiiney (To Awamutu) contended that the. 'Board of Trado should inquire into the operations of the Sa.wmillers' Association. He said that a certain mill in the King Conntry—not in the association —wns_ able simply timber when other mills in the "ring" eon Id not. An amendment, "That the Government be urged to establish sawmills on its own Crown lands" was moved by Dr Anderson CDunedinl.

Air N. A. Ching ("Waifcato) sounded a caution. He thought conference would bo unwise to adopt remits without first ■giving consideration to the economic situation. For instance, if New Zealand stormed timber export to Australia, tho Commonwealth might retaliate by not letting us have hardwoods for our rajlwavs. They should be careful not to stultify the association's usefulness.

The remit was then put and carried.