BUILDERS' QUESTIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 26, 30 July 1932, Page 15

BUILDERS' QUESTIONS

THE SUBSIDISED SCHEME

"If I-have two-permanent men, and I get a subsidised job, is it not a fact that, they have to register and I have to re-employthqm; I must sack them?" asked a builder of Mr. W. Bromley, member of the Unemployment Beard, at a meeting of representatives of the building trade last evening. .Mr. Bromley said that if' ten men woro employed on the job, two of them would not get a subsidy. ; A., voice: : "The', small employer is wiped- out jn this Scheme." ; . Mr.Bromley: "I'am. sorry for him." Mr: A. Seed (chairman of the Allied Building Industries Movement) said that if no scheme of this kind camealbng the small employer would be wiped out in any case. "Can^the small contractor, or subcontractor- register Himself, so he can give his employer tho benefit of the subsidy I" was another question. ■ : . 'If we were arranging this specially lor the benefit of his employer ive would have provided for this," replied Mr. Bromloy. " But as this was demised I for the spepial benefit of the unemployed tradesman, then wo ;have to give the other -person, something iv order to put the work in liana.'' The board had done its best, he said,.and hoped that it -would not .bo nearly as bad for the small contractor us lie imagined it would be when the sehenie was first started.

A-mastor painter ought not to register just ifor "the-purpose of collecting the subsidy, on hi s labour and. on the labour of others," said Mr. Bromley at a later stage. .'. . . "w"y/licl."you. not have each job tendered for; and havo a subsidy paid on the wages?" wag another question. Mr. Seed said ho thought the question had been answered by Mr. Bromley. He. could .add that the. scheme'had been in force only three weeks. "I think that the person who wrote that question is seeing what may .prove to be a bogy when the scheme has been in operation: a .little longer and is'better understood," he said. .- :- ■ \ •