BUILDING SUBSIDY SCHEME.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 183, 4 August 1932, Page 6

BUILDING SUBSIDY SCHEME.

Mr. Bromley, a member of the Unemployment Board, states that the small builder or sub-contractor should not register for the purpose of collecting the subsidy on his labour. Now this is misleading, as the'owner gets the benefit, not the contractor. Mr. Coates, Minister of Employment, stated that the scheme was for unemployed tradesmen who could not register for relief work, as the said tradesman had a little money in hand, or was not quite destitute. It was to help these men to be employed at their own trade instead of pick-and-shovel work. At the present time there are hundreds of small builders, plumbers and painters who are not on relief works, but are really worse off than the average relief worker and what little nionev they have is being spent to keep the wolf* from the door. What was generally understood was that all these unemployed tradesmen should register, but not under relief work schemes No. 4 or 5. But now every man must register on the form for relief works, and so add further to the list of relief workers. As most of the small builders and sub-contractors at the present time are only doing small one-man jobs, thev must register or lose their jobs. If they do not register, who is going to tind the necessary plant to carry on, as the average tradesman has not got the necessary gear required? Therefore the owner must supply these, and he will find that it will cost him 10/ to make 6 / 8 - SMALL BUILDER.