6000 Unemployed Feared

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31378, 25 May 1967, Page 3

6000 Unemployed Feared

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 24. Government restrictions on the building industry would result in between 5000 and 6000 workers being unemployed by Christmas, and increasing unemployment through 1968, the secretary of the Carpenters’ Union (Mr W. F. Molineux) said today.

“The Government restrictions on the release of building contracts is causing unemployment which is quite

widespread already,” said Mr Molineux. “It is very bad in Auckland, Northland and Christchurch. “In the main the Government’s failure to pursue the

recommendations of the Housing Committee is causing the greatest difficulty. The Government is simply not giving effect to the recommendations of the committee. “Some £43,000,000 of contract work is being delayed by the Government’s building programmer.

"Already Auckland is finding it impossible to place a carpenter, and in Northland carpenters cannot find any jobs, even as storemen. The Government has created a fear complex. “Paralysed with the fear of a return of the 1930 slump, the Government is scared to make the necessary progress to ensure it will not return. Yet if the building trade is closed down, with unemployment, it is inevitable that the unemployment will spread, more rapidly than I care to think. “We consider that the Government should at least take the necessary action to cease the importing of workers from other countries, particularly into the building trade. “They are still allowing them to come into the country. We have warned building trades unions in Britain

and Australia of the conditions their members will experience if they come here,” Mr Molineux said.