BUILDERS WELCOMED

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20737, 22 February 1939, Page 6

BUILDERS WELCOMED

CONFERENCE ITS HAMILTON CIVIC RECEPTION TENDFRED INDUSTRY IKEY TO PROSPERITY “The Government of to-day is doing a great service to the building industry,” a,.* JMr W. A. Petrie (Timaru), president of the New Zealand Federated Builders’ and Contractors' Association of Employers in replying to the civic welcome in the Y.M.C.A building to delegates to the annual conference of the association which opened in Hamilton to-day. “We are hoping to have a Registration of Builders’ Bill put through Parliament in order to protect the industry, the Government and the public. Above all. it would make sure that we were all good builders. "A statement was recently made by the new Minister of Housing, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, that the Government Housing Department was going to call tenders this year for about 4000 houses,” said Mr Petrie. ‘‘This should give the builders of New Zealand a feeling of security as far as work is concerned. “The speaker also congratulated the Hamilton Master Builders’ Association on the great progress U had made during its four years’ existence.

Honour to Hamilton

“It is a great pleasure to be able to welcome to Hamilton building delegates from all parts of the Dominion.” said the Mayor, Mr H. D. Caro, in extending a civic reception to the delegates. “We in Hamilton appreciate the fact that the conference is being held here, for it is a great honour to the town. We recognise the fact that the building industry is one of the key industries to the prosperity of any country. Properly looked after, the industry will have a great influence on t.he future of the Dominion. Therefore, it is a great privilege for Hamilton to be the venue of the 1939 conference.”

The speaker expressed the hope that the visiting delegates would have an opportunity of seeing Hamilton and the surrounding districts. When they saw the grasslands around Hamilton they would realise why the town was so prosperous and why it had made so much progress. Pleasure at the fact that Hamilton had been chosen as the venue for the conference was expressed by Mr D. C. Street, president of the Hamilton Master Builders’ Association, when extending a welcome on behalf of the association. The residents of Hamilton felt honoured that representatives of some of New Zealand’s most Important building firms were assembled in the town to take part in the annual conference, where matters of vital importance to the building industry would be discussed.

After the civic reception group photographs were taken following which the delegates were entertained at morning tea by the Hamilton Master Builders' Association.