N.Z. BUILDING INDUSTRY

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27988, 7 June 1956, Page 16

N.Z. BUILDING INDUSTRY

CONTINUED BOOM FORECAST

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Jun.e 5.

The Acting-Prime Minister (Mr K. J. Holyoake) tonight challenged the Monetary Commission’s proposition that the building industry in New Zealand was too busy. “I cannot foresee any slackening in the demands on the building industry for many a day.” he said. He was officially opening the new headquarters of the New Zealand. Master Builders’ Federation.

The demand for housing and for commercial building was pressing, said Mr Holyoake. The building industry was responding magnificently to the challenge. Last year, 19.000 houses had been constructed in New Zealand—more than the target set by the National Housing Council. Population was growing at the rate of 40.000 to 50,000 a year, and the construction industry was booming and prospering. ‘‘These factors all suggest that the building industry will be verv busy for many years to come,” said Mr Holyoake.

Tracing the growth of the building Industry. Mr Holyoake said it had been able to increase its labour force by 40 per cent, in the last eight years, and this was a highly impressive figure. In the immigration programme, building workers had had the highest priority for a long time. Introducing Mr Holyoake, the federation’s president (Mr J. Graham! said the building industry recognised the need for research, and looked forward to creating a research establishment.