BUILDING SUBSIDY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 285, 1 December 1932, Page 6

BUILDING SUBSIDY.

In your issue of November 24 Mr. E. B. Bambury complains against the Allied Building Industries organisation for its proposal to advocate the Government unemployment Bubsidy scheme as a means of encouraging property owners to undertake 'building work at this time, and regards the subsidy as a detriment to builders in a moderate way of business. It is recognised that the writer desires to be helpful to the organisation in its main object, and, that being so, he must appreciate the fact that his complaint does not lie really against it. The Allied Building Industries organisation was initiated on the broadest lines in order to create activity in building operations, and there is the undoubted evidence of actual experience that the Government subsidy (which amounts to a substantial amount of the wages expended) has been an incentive to many property owners to undertake work that would not have been done otherwise. Local figures and figures quoted by the Unemployment Board must be accepted. The fact that the subsidy has acted prejudicially to some builders in a moderate way of business does not necessarily condemn it, and, of course, probably as many instances can be quoted where such builders have had reason to give it credit for bringing them work. The subsidy has been made available by the Government and not by the Allied Building Industries organisation, and if it be an aid in attaining the object the organisation has in, view, surely it is wise to make use of it. Mr. Bambury's complaint suggests that the organisation should introduce some advocacy or form of preference for the benefit of the builder in a moderate way ofi business, but preference of any kind is just what -we do riot desire. An architect might suggest as justifiably that property owners should be urged to employ' members of his profession when undertaking work, and other illustrations are easily available. Allied Building Industries seeks to create interest in building operations for the general benefit of everyone concerned in building and its allied trades, and it is preferred that the property owner should be allowed to use his discretion regarding the means he adopts. The creation of an optimistic feeling in the community with respect of the expenditure of moneys in building, and the consequent reaction for good upon the many business and professional people directly and indirectly dependent upon the building industry, are our principal concern at this time, and as the Government subsidy is calculated to assist in the attainment of those objectives, we must regard it favourably. SECRETARY, Allied Building Industries.