TEMPORARY STATE HOUSES

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26221, 19 September 1950, Page 6

TEMPORARY STATE HOUSES

Tradesmen To Refuse Work RESOLUTIONS BY UNION MEETINGS Resolutions urging the Government to continue building State rental houses of the present standard, and stating that members would refuse to accept work on the Government’s proposed temporary housing projects w®re carried at meetings of Plumbers, Bricklayers’ and Carpenters Unions m Christchurch last evening. The meetings also decided to ask all bu’loing trade unions to appoint representatives to form a deputation to wait on the Cabinet. Mr, F. L. Langley, secretary of the Carpenters’ Union, said last evening that the meetings had agreed to ask for the active co-operation of all workers in other interested organisations in the protest, and to seek the support of members of the Opposition. The protest, he said, was to be referred to the City Council, the Metropolitan Town Planning Committee, the Christchurch Fire Board, and the Health Department, “as the proposed dwellings fail to measure up to the building by-laws, the Fire Board regulations, and the standards necessary to ensure healthy housing.” ... x, i “Our concern is that the proposal would lower the standard of housing without doing anything to meet the housing shortage,” Mr Langley said. “The only way is to build decent houses. In the opinion of the meetings, the proposal is not a temporary measure. These units are being built to replace State rental houses.” The meetings were all well attended, Mr Langley said. Thirty firms were represented at the carpenters’ meeting. and the Trades Hall was full of building workers. There had been no speakers against the resolutions. Criticism of the Government’s proposals had not been made because of a fear of unemployment. There was plenty of work, but it was felt that the scheme set a permanently lower standard to replace the present standard. The resolutions, which were carried unanimously in each case were: (1) “That members of this union urge -the Government to continue building State rental houses of the present standard, as the best means of alleviating the acute housing position.” (2) “That members refuse to accept w’ork on the Government’s proposed sub-s‘andard housing project.” The resolutions will be referred to every member of the unions. The plasterers’ union will meet this evening to consider similar resolutions, and the painters’ union is also to call a special meeting. DISCUSSION BY R.S.A. EXECUTIVE “Like a barn cut into sections,” was how Mr R. C. Day described alleged sub-standard houses, which he said the Government was now proposing to erect in place of State houses, speaking at a meeting of the executive of the Christchurch Returned Services’ Association last evening. Mr Day asked the executive to lodge a strong protest against the erection of these houses. When the executive decided to ask a committee to investigate the matter and report to the next meeting. Mr Day declined to serve on the committee. as he said by the time of the next meeting the houses would already be let. He said tenders were now being called for the erection of the houses. Mr G. D. Hattaway, who advised that a committee would study the matter, said that although Mr Day had said it was not a political matter, it was bordering on politics, and he would like more intormation So that he could be sure of his grounds.