BUILDING SUBSIDY

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 146, 22 June 1934, Page 8

BUILDING SUBSIDY

(Tovthe Editor.)

Sir, —One Teads always with interest the announcements of the proceedings of the Chamber of Commerce, realising that with the. Associated\Chainbcrsj it represents tho views'of men in whose hands probably more than many others lies the welfare of tho country. Ono .cannot, "howover, help wondering whether its latest resolution anent -tho building subsidy was given the usual careful consideration.

Every business man was glad to see the weighty protest against Government interference in business recently made at the*.chambers' banquet. It is strange, .therefore, to see 'its members now recommending direct 'interference in the form,of subsidies.-' Surely the members .most .interested' in take- a narrow view. By/accepting subsidy now^.they- admit in bo:many words that their industry- is /hot -.self-support-ing, andivthat; t%>p'ubliej'vdemandi.for houses ■is-.ript: great .enough.:,to warrant their, being^built without, calling in the Government.'.Do th6se:in favour of the subsidy '_to/ enable, tfiemvto pay wa;ges now, evei;: consider 'the*:fact that tho men will.be .thrown.;.out. of •ncork again las soon as it is -withdrawn|" And' most itnportant^of all, :^do -they gyer Icbnsider the •effect such- a, ,ipolicy, has upon'too private lender,-: "upon- whose "-Kelp and cooperation..theyirely, iafifitely* m b re than upon ,the, few pounds wage subsidy to e.nable the building trade, to flourish? Have they, realised : .h"qwC;diJs cu it.it; i s to obtain mortgage money 'as 'thines are or whose:fault that;is:j^.^ ,-:•'- " '

■'. -.• No- one is, more>;anxious '. "than the writer to: see : ithe^buildiiig) 'industry flourish;;, but-let^it vtioiuisk' by-fah means, and;-stand.on ,its;own feet. Tho unemployment;: in '-the -building trade is doubtless worse now •than" 'when tho former subsidy was in. operation, but it is not as bad as it ,-was prior to its introduction, simply because the country, despite official spoon-feeding is gradually learning to think and act' for itself. Pamper it again by interferin<r with private enterprise,, and it will lose;J;hat,:capa.city. once;and for all - I am ; confident that -I anr n& alone !in the.^iew? I putforward, and the majority of builders; will agree withVjhe. It was distinctly encouraging to "read in your paper, the firm, stand taken by the president of the-.Master Builders' Association of Wanganui against the reintroduetipn'ofth^subsidy. But'that .KOtest, significant is it was, seems to have been entirely, ignored ,by' - the chamber in -its well-meant endeavour to ;prpmdto tlie welfare of -the-; building trade, and so of ;the country—r km etc;;,' "•'. /,.•..;•:.-■• .'• ..■/ :■:':•■'/■,-. ' :^?*:~ ;'- ■