BRITISH ARTISANS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 May 1939, Page 7

BRITISH ARTISANS

ARRIVAL OF FIRST CONTINGENT EMPLOYMENT ON STATE HOUSING. MINISTER ANTICIPATES RAPID PROGRESS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND. May 15. The first batch of 100 artisans out of a total of 500 to be engaged in England are either on the water now or will be leaving in the course of the next few days for work in New Zealand under the Government's housing scheme. This announcement was made by the Minister of Housing Mr Armstrong. who arrived from Wellington by the Limited express this moiling. He said the men were being sent out in “balanced proportion” so that the scheme could go along smoothly. The greater number would be carpenters and joiners. All the men would arrive at Wellington, whore most of them would be employed.

The Minister said that about twothirds of the artisans who had come from Australia recently for work under the housing scheme had been eriiployed in Wellington, but despite that more houses were being completed in Auckland than in Wellington. “Men are coming from Australia in small batches who are not under contract to the Government,” added the Minister. “They are seeking* work on their own account. It is because of the visit of M Hodgens, M.P., that they have decided to throw in their lot in the Dominion. He was able to tell the Australian artisans what the Government was achieving in New Zealand as far as house construction is concerned and the response has been most satisfactory.

“We produce a completed house every 35 minutes of the working day,’ said the Minister. “If all the houses finished in the course of construction were placed side by side, each with a frontage of 66ft., they would extend on one side of the Great South Road all the way from Auckland to Hamilton. That is my reply to those who say the Government has not done much to satisfy the housing requirements of the Dominion.”

The Minister said that despite the large number of houses being built' — more than 3000 a year —it would be a long time before his department would catch up with the shortage. Up to May 5 of this year the Housing Department had completed 3358 dwellings and 2335 were nearing completion -or under way. The Housing Department was initially instructed to build 5000 houses and it was expected that the five thousandth house will be handed over next October. At that time another 2500 dwellings would be in course of erection.

“I hope that by the end of the year the number of houses contracted fo by builders will reach the 10,000 mark,” the Minister said. At the present time houses had been completed or were being built in 95 cities and towns, and land had been purchased in 107 towns. The number of men engaged in construction, road making and on the staff was 5677.

Under a scheme sponsored by the New Zealand Government, 500 British carpenters, painters, plumbers, plasterers, bricklayers, electrical wiremen, and tilers will leave Britain for the Dominion during the next few nionths, the London “Daily Mail” stated recently. Sailings start in May. Two years’ full-time employment is guaranteed at rates now varying from 2s 9d to 2s IOJd an hour for the statutory 40-hours, five-days week. The workers will be selected men, under* 40 years of age, and the majority single. Because of New Zealand’s housing shortage, which has necessitated this scheme, married men’s families will have to remain in Britain for nearly a year.

MORE MEN COMING

ALL ASSURED OF WORK ON ARRIVAL. Sy Tekgrr.ph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received This Day. 10.50 a.m.) 1 - LONDON, May 15. Fifty-nine bricklayers and builders’ operatives will sail for New Zealand aboard the Rangitiki on May 25. as an instalment of 500, all of whom are assured of work on arrival.