BRICK INDUSTRY

Chronicle (Levin), 9 November 1946, Page 7

BRICK INDUSTRY

—Press Association

INVESTIGATION UNDER WAY

By Telegraph-

DUNEDIN, Nov. An assuranee that otlicers of .various Government departhients concerned with Ihe building imiustry were grviug every atteiition to improvmg the supply of materials and ensurmg the maxiuium use of labour was coxitained in a letter received today by the secre.tary of the Dunedin "Bricklayer^; Union from. the Minister of Works . (Mr. Sempie). : The Minister vvas replying to a letter reeently sent by the union expressiny eoucern over the shortage of building material and the possible ioss of- employment and oilermg suggestions for improving the situation. "I too have been eoncerned for some eonsiderable time that the quantities. of building materials beeoming availablo vvill interfere vvitli the building programnie by preventing the riiaxiinuul uso of labour normally eiuplbyed in th'e building trade," the Minister writes. "The various Governnient dopartmonta eoncerned have therefore been direeted to co-operate fiilly with the building coutroller, who has also hadthe conlidence and co-opcration of the majority of iinporters and manufacturers.. . ' ' As a result o'f the.se eil'orts it is sui'o to say that ihe amount of materials now available, and wliich will be availablo in future, its eonsiderbly greater than would otherwise .be the case. " ' The Minister adds that' the suggestion that the engineefing. facilitiqs ' of the railwav workshops should be utili-sed on the replaeement of cement making plant or building new equipine.ht was not feasible at prosent as the Railwar.s Department prograitiine of " wqr'k already seriouslv delayed thr'otfgh staff shortages. \v;' Because of .the- ybmehtqshd.riage for all present uses it appeared inopportune to considor the use of eemeht . breeze bloeks for external or intCrhal walls. The use of cement . bloeks would only reduce the amount of eemenit ayailayblo for other purposes. ' • ' ' ' Keferring to bricks I would advise." the Minister Writes, "that h eompreliensive investigation of ihe industry is heing undertaken at present, eovering all matters afl'eeting ihcreasei1 manufaeture and extended nse.. Ques tions to be eonsidered inchule Whethe" the Government should itself take over some or all of the hrickworks. and rur them as State inulertakings; "whethenew works, either Htate- or privatoly owned. should be set up: or whethe.some aclion is possible and dcsirable to improve the offieienev of the existim' works. Atteiition will be paid to the exfendcd use of bricks in various areas and to the requireme.nts of skilled labour to implement any change in policy. ' '