Builders meet Ministers

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32678, 6 August 1971, Page 3

Builders meet Ministers

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, August 5.

The Master Builders’ Federation today asked the Government to take immediate steps to establish a national housing authority, as recommended by the recent commission of inquiry. It also wants building programming to be removed.

A deputation led by the federation’s president (Mr L. B. Street) today met the Prime Minister (Sir Keith Holyoake) and the Minister of Housing (Mr Rae). The federation asked the Government to take immediate steps to assess the longterm demands likely to be placed on the commercial sector of the industry, and to ensure that adequate finance and manpower were available to both the public and private sectors to meet those demands. Mr Street said in an interview that the - federation wanted from the Government “clear and progressive” policies toward the industry to obviate its complains. Lip service had been paid, but little else, Mr Street : said. The federation also wants to see provision for twiceyearly consulations with the Government bn the state of the industry, , instead of its having to send deputations at irregular intervals. In its submissions to the Government,"the -federation said that the short-term consequences of the present policy would be a reduction in the building labour force, and in the number of firms in the industry. This would produce a consequent reduction in the industry’s productivity. The long-term consequences were more serious.

size of the industry and its productivity, it will be evident that when this demand is released the industry will be unable to meet it, with the consequence that the building industry will be over-committed,” the. federation said.

“If, as expected, there is an over-all reduction in the