MASTER BUILDERS REPLY TO CARPENTERS

Chronicle (Levin), 24 May 1947, Page 6

MASTER BUILDERS REPLY TO CARPENTERS

WELLINGTON, May 23. "It is surely not suggested that wc should revert to the conditions which were applicable during the defencc worlcs programme, " the Wellington Master Builders' Association has commented in reply to a proposal made by the Carpenters ' and Joiners' Union that a State housing corporation under competent business administration with union representation on the management, should undertake the actual con•struction of State housing. "The proposal made by the union,'" the statement continues, ' ' inf ers that there should be a return to the system of manpoAver control of carpenters an>i labourers., This would not be popular with anyone concerned and would not produce the desired results as the materials available were not sufficient to meet pi-esent requirements. Transport difficulties were at the root of the main delays and difficulties of home construction Jtoday. , The transport difficulties had to be overeome . and, given sufficient materials, the . builders of New Zealand could and would .gi-v« the same service in the erection and completion of houses as was evideneed in the tremendous building programme carried out by them during the war. • The master builders considered that the sctting up of a State - housing construction corporation could only have the resuit. not of increasing th ^ number of houses built, but of increasing the cost of building houses.