PLAN TO ATTRACT TIMBER WORKERS

Chronicle (Levin), 9 August 1946, Page 2

PLAN TO ATTRACT TIMBER WORKERS

-Press Association

PRIORITY IN HOUSING FOR INDUSTRY

Bv Telearavh—

VV JbLLIN tlTUN, August S. "Oue of the niost important eontri- j. butions to tlie solution of this coun- jtry 's housing probiems iies in the inereased production of timber, ' ' said the i Coinmissionor of fcltate Forests, llon. C. ! i\ aiiinuer, when announcing the I adoption of a timber lndustry acconi-J modation and improvement scheme ! whicli provides for suitabie finaiicial i advances from (iovcrnment funds to i sawmiilers, for the erection of houses . for tlieir workers. j ' ' Adequate accommodation must be ; provided to attract to the milling in- j dustry enougli men to achieve the I neccssary increase in production. Prior- ; itv in the buildiug of houses for tliese . men will not lauder but will stimulato i the national housing prograuime. For i each man absorbed by ihe industry an j additional aunual production of 5J,000 ! to (30,000 board feet of timber can be

secured. Tius nieans tnat ior eacn liouse built and each man so attracted into the industry, several additional . houses can be built each year. There- i after the cuniulative production of 1700 additional men needed by tlie in- . dustry, would virtually do away wiili' any shortage of timber eit.her for houses or anv otlier purpose. " The scheme would not only rclieve . the presenl shortage of houses but would also generaily improve the standard of accommodation tliroughout the saw- 1 milling industry, for the Governmenl, in addition to providing loans for the . erection of new houses, was preparod also in eertaiu circumstanccs to advance , moneys for the repair of cxi.sting ac- j eommodation, Mr. Skinner added. 1 fSubtnitted to the Governinent by tho Timber Production Advisory Committee ' tlie scheme provides for the erection of demountable houses confonning to a' certain standard, whicli can be moved to another site when the location of a : mill is changed. A survey of the sawniilling industry has emplmsised the fact that the accommodation ]iroblem is acute not only beeause of Ihe shortage of houses but also beeause of the poor standard of most of thc houses already built. Thc survey, whicli covered almost one hundred per eent of mill housing, revealed that only six per eent o.f houses were up to the required standard. To bring the existing accommodation up to standard and to overcomo the shortage of accommodation, an estimated total of 1100 more houses will be required. To increase the annual timber production to 415,000,000 feet, the figure aimed at for tlie Goveni mmt 's a turther 1/00 men are needed. The scheme for the improvement of accommodation sliould make conditions suffi-

ciently attractive to increase the mnnber of workers to the strength required. Uurrent finance will be provided from a pool administered by tlie State Advances Gorporation. This pool will receive all repayments of capital and interest from millers and in tuni will make suitabie refunds to (he State Advances Uorporation. Anv deficit in tlie pool will be mef by ivav of a sinai] levy on ali timber. Millers will be compensafed in their. turn bv an app.ropriate increase in the selling price. Pnrt icipaf ion in the scheme will be optional but sawmiilers must oxerci^e their option within a period of three ycurs.