BUILDING COSTS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 40, 17 February 1943, Page 4

BUILDING COSTS

SOCIALISATION FEAR

INDUSTRY'S GRAVE CONCERN

Master builders and others connected with the building industry are gravely concerned over, the proposals of the Government for the application to all departments of the industry of the special conditions operating on defence construction works. They contend that- building costs are increasing out of all bounds and they declare that there is too much State and local body interference. Builders interviewed to-day were practically all of the view that the Government was taking advantage of the war situation to forward its own plan of socialisation of industry. It was stated in one quarter that the proposed Building Industry Labour Legislation Suspension Order was tied up with the unified control scheme announced yesterday by the Minister of Public Works, Mr. Semple.

. The Smaller Builders In another quarter the opinion was expressed that the interests of smaller builders should be watched. There appeared to be great danger of them being put out of business by the socialisation proposals of the Government. A contractor said that more provision should be- made for advances to wage earners by the State Advances Corporation as there were many people who preferred to own their own houses rather than rent them from the State. A master builder with considerable experience said the Government should give an assurance to the country that control schemes now in operation or contemplated were to remain in force only during the war period. This informant said he and others objected to the application of the order to work other than defence construction. It meant the dropping of the 40-hour week and the imposition of a 4b-hour week, with payment of 3/3 an hour and a minimum wage of £5 10/ a week. It had to be borne in mind that in many towns where defence works had never been carried out a 40-hour week and award conditions still applied.

Increasing the Cost The new order, he said, would increase the cost of work, particularly work done by small jobbing builders. He gave an example of the labour cost of an average hveroomed house. Under award conditions wages worked out at 3/ an hour for carpenters,-which included the two bonuses of the Arbitration Court. The carpenters' hours on the job would be approximately 1200. Under award rates that worked out at £180, as against £195 proposed under the new order. The extra cost for plumber, bricklayer, plasterer, painter and electrician would be £13 13/, making the total extra labour cost £28 13/. There would also be an additional £8 for sick pay. The guaranteed weekly wage ot £o 10/ would also increase the cost and would make the private client aSk for his house to be built in the summer months. Travelling allowances and morning and afternoon tea would still further add to the C °Many of the trades that would be included under the proposed new order, such as fibrous plaster nialcing were by no means tousy. v\ niie it might be necessary to work a 48hour week on all essential undertakings, it had to be remembered that award wages for the same hours came to within 5/10 a week of the proposed 48 hours, at 3/3 an k°Other builders were insistent that it was in the interests' of all sections of the community, including the labour section, as well as the employing section, that award conaitions should not be disturbed. The benefits and privileges contained in awards, they said, should not be affected or removed because ol defence works.