TIMBER EXPORTATION.

Taihape Daily Times, 23 April 1919, Page 7

TIMBER EXPORTATION.

CONCERN AT TE AWAMUTU

THE COST OP BUILDING

TE AWAMUTU, April 19

At its last meeting trie Te Awamutu Chamber of Commerce suggested to the Government that action should be taken in limiting the export of New Zealand timbers !to Australia. (In 1917, it was pointed out that 68,000,000 super feet were shipped, and in 1916 the total was over seventy millions. It wa s argued that an alarming position had to be faced in regard to the :tim'ber forests of this country, and that Australian demands had their present day effects upon the cost of all building operations.

It was further decided to urge the Government to offer a prize or Bonus to encourage the concentration of thought upon the materials, used in building construction. In other lands, the use of hitherto waste materials used in building construction. Ix

other lands, the use of hitherto waste materials had been found possible, thus cheapening and encouraging building operations. In New Zealand prizes had been given for flax dressing and other things, and the acute shortage of Houses in most centres demanded the suggested encourage ment.

Th method of the Workers Dwelling Board, in relation to the plans and specifications of dwellings recently tendered for at Te Awamutu, were criticised. It was decided to urge that bettor plans and other than stereotyped or mutilated specifications loused in future, and that the' clauses be made definite instead of subject to the goodwill of the inspectors. One builder said he could put up the sam* houses for £IOO less if working under definite specifications.