NEWS BR[ETS

Housing slarls continue to be the star of the [..S. economyi the lafest figures (August) hit a new ret:orrl lr:uel of 2,228,0()A on arr annual rate, topping the prior 1'ear by an amazing 60/o . an' nlvsts say the outlook for continued high levels remains bright f or nt laast anolher \'('Qr

The {ederal govern,ment has movecl thru its ageticie,. to up timber supplr so th,at t:ontinued lt'igh demond for lumber to meet the needs of recorcl home builcling ,lo,'srt'l ('ause luml,er price jumps iollowing ea-<ing or ending of the rrage-price ft't'ez"

Retail lumber attd building materials dealer. haue been e.r' emTttcrl lrom being one of the rtr"'otarget intlustries" to be investigated first uncler the neuOccupational Safety and Health Act (see The Merclmnf, Aug., p. 6) NLBN{DiYs work at the nt'}. level was instrumt'ntal in gaining the exemption

President A i-ron has hinted that controls to prevcnt interest rates from going too high,, Star' ticularly consumer loans, are still an "open ciuestion" after the current price-rvage freeze en'ds Nov. 13; he plans no curbs on profits, tho . . bankers ancl economists have so f ar lnen unabLe to agree whether interest rates are likely to rise or fall after the freeztr ends.

Pope & Talbot resumed its Oakridge, Ore., swing shift (about 50 jobs) af ter an I I mo. shutdown,; president Guy Pope said improving malket conditions and the wage-price freeze triggered his decision . . . little et'Ject f rom the freezr: is seen on Mir:higan California Lumber, near f'lacervilleo according to mgr. Vern Lindgren, their workers gol a year's uto;4,e increase lune I il'lortS4age rates rose in Aug., 1[g .]rrl straight mo. in a ro\\. : they are still belol the year'ago lerel . . federal efforts to stabilize rates won't show for a t'ew nutnths, according to officials

The co-"t of financing homes in Calif. has dropped since thc wage-price freeze, say S&L sl,okesmen: lhey sav a uigt,roas inflow ol sauings has causecl comnetition ancl hence lon'er loan iates from the state's mortgage lenders the prime rate for single family homes has dropped from about 73/+% to 7a/z7o . .

The l|unk ol Amerit'a has cast its steely glaze on the LI.S. economy fo, '72 and sees "much overall imprt-iveme,nt" despite the Jrresidential election, economic cr'oss currents and cleen-rootetl social change..

Southu;r:st I'orest I ndustritts has lrurchased the former .4meri.' tun Aspcn Corp. lumber plant. Santo Domingo, New N{exico, from the Economic Developnreni \dministration; no price r\as siverr . Crozun Zellerbach Can' oda is bidding to buy the assets of lnnkrupt Canarlian Plywood Corp. on Annacis Islancl, near Yancouver. .

,4 rcc,tmmended reuision to \:PS 32 - 70 "Hinged Interior Wood Door Ljnits" is being circulatec{ to determine its acceptability . . . C-Q Trucking Co., L. \., has bought two new truck and trailer rigs to handlc ii'creased hauling business .

Leerlinc the Ll.S. in nerv lt,rusirrg units in the 2nd quarter was the Los Angeles-Long Beach area, well up on the preceding 3 mos. in l3rd place was San Diego' 4, San Francisco; Phoenix, 5th.

Ceorgia-Pacific is building a bis new distribution center in

San Leandro, Calif ., relilacinrl their 40,000 sq. ft. Berkclc',' olteration (onstruction spttdint in luly f ell for the lst time in 12 1n6-s.o increases in the {ulure are forecast, however .'.

Vaconcl' roles are norr up to 20% in some areas in tlalif. ancl ,qtate officials warn bttil,lers they face a "sharp slorving" if over-building continues l{ou' ser's, Inc., Billings Mont., is a ner.t' Flintkote distributor ,\PA has a nerl design contest f or architects usin,g -*oftwood plyu'ood .

A 550,000 fire seaerely damaged Leonard and Ceorge Chap' delaine's Construction Supplier-" sawmill and lumber yard. El Do' rado Y, near Placerville, Calif. . .. fire also destroyed liart of the Doublc Dee Lumber Co., Medt'ord, Ore., no loss has been set or cause cliscovered .

Aloho Lumber Corp', part of Evans Productso has a temporarY order enjoining the Quinauh In' dians {rcm interfering with their operations on In'clian lands Bel - Air Door Cr., Alhambra, Calif., ha-c taken over the adjoining Corrlon Plywood warehouse to gain more space to make their successful fiberglas door line . .

Pacifl: Lumber has been laud<:d hy the Humboldt Beacon, a No. Calif., newspaper for their role in " sauing the reduoods" . a cost study by the home builders, plywood assn. and the WWPA is seeing if builders can sal)e money by switching {rom 16" to 24" floor joist and wall studs t, **

President IYixon has named a panel to advise him on increasing the suppLy ol timber to meet hcrusins needs . . E. L. Bruce ond Qiamagra have a beautiful new Los Angeles showroom for their products lumber Pro' duction in July (latest figures) decreased 3.3%, from June, but still is 3.5 above the year before.

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