Lack Of Building Work Gives Concern

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31499, 13 October 1967, Page 20

Lack Of Building Work Gives Concern

A situation was approaching consistent with the depression of the 1930 s and war years when very few people had the opportunity of taking up trades, the secretary of the Canterbury Carpenters and Builders’ Union (Mr E. Pitcairn) said in an interview.

The result would be that when the building industry became buoyant again there would not be enough skilled tradesmen for the work offering. Mr Pitcairn said the union believed that in Christchurch the building industry was more depressed than it was elsewhere. “If this is allowed to continue the effects will snowball as many other workers in supporting trades will become redundant. “It is our intention to Impress on the Government the need for the lifting of credit and other restrictions sufficiently to allow the industry to be stable.

“It is also necessary to increase the allowable loan money for the purchase of houses. Many people are unable to meet the difference between the cost of a house and section and what they are able to borrow.” Mr Pitcairn said that 300 members had resigned this year—2oo per cent more than the normal figure.

“Very few, if any, building tradesmen are unemployed but they have sought and obtained employment elsewhere because they are redundant at their trade," he said. In many cases employers had dismissed tradesmen and retained more than a normal proportion of apprentices without tuition or supervision. “Apprenticeship committees should not be placed in a position where they could cancel existing apprenticeship contracts. The respon-

sibility should rest with the Government to ensure that all contracts are completed even if it is necessary to start training schools with skilled instructors." said Mr Pitcairn.

Unless more building contracts became available and continuity was maintained, very few builders would be able to take on apprentices in the new year. The industry was also faced with the problem of absorbing about 24 Maori apprentices who had completed two years under a Government sponsored Maori training scheme, he said,