Carpenters Said To Be Leaving Trade

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31379, 26 May 1967, Page 1

Carpenters Said To Be Leaving Trade

More than 100 carpenters in Christchurch had resigned from the union in the last three months, said the secretary of the Canterbury Carpenters’ Union (Mr R. J. Pitcairn) yesterday. He blamed building restrictions.

Mr Pitcairn said that of 101 resignations, 64 might have been for this reason. Other reasons included retirement and transfer.

The building industry faced a very bleak future, he said. It was necessary to have bigger commercial contracts to prevent unemployment for carpenters.

Christchurch carpenters were leaving the industry rather than be unemployed,

he said. The situation tn Christchurch would become drastic and the situation in Umaru was “sticky.” The union wanted the Building Programmer to release contracts without hindrance from the credit squeeze.

Some Christchurch builders had work for 12 months but because their customers could not now raise the loans commercial building was coming to a standstill.

"It is no good the programmer releasing contracts for over £30,000 jobs if those con-

cerned cannot get loans,” said Mr Pitcairn. In Wellington on Wednesday, the secretary of the New Zealand Carpenters' Union (Mr W. F. Molineux) said that the restrictions on building would result in 5000 to 6000 workers being unemployed by Christmas.