BUILDING SUBSIDY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 227, 7 September 1933, Page 7

BUILDING SUBSIDY

“ON AND OFF’’ POLICY CARPENTERS’ SECRETARY’S DISSATISFACTION. JOBS WILL BE DROPPED, (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Sept. 7. Dissatisfaction with the “on and off” policy relating to the building subsidy was expressed by Mr T. Bipodworth, secretary of the Carpenters’ Union, who said that between the first and second subsidy schemes little new work was started because the people expected the Government would again provide a bonus. In this they were right, but it was never contemplated that the scheme would last such a short time. Ho knew several building projects which would be dropped, and people would mark time again on the assumption that the scheme would be on again at a later date. The present scheme in reality subsidised the wages of small employers, who, being skilled tradesmen, did jobs themselves. The board, in effect, had admitted to the benefits of its scheme a large number of men who were not previously a charge on the unemployment funds. If the Government abolished the sales tax on building supplies and brought the exchange rate back to par, the building industry would be helped more than by the Unemployment Boaad’s subsidy scheme. [See page 8 for earlier message.]