“ON AND OFF” POLICY

Evening Star, Issue 21510, 7 September 1933, Page 8

“ON AND OFF” POLICY

CRITICISM QF BUILDING SUBSIDY SCHEME [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, September 7. Dissatisfaction with the “on and off ” policy relating to the building subsidy was expressed by Mr T. Bloodworthy, secretary of the Carpenters’Union, who said that between the first and second subsidy schemes little new. work was started, because people expected that the Government _ would again provide the bonus. In this they were right, but it was never conteraplated that the scheme would last for such a short time. He knew of several building projects which would be dropped, and people would mark time again on the assumption that the scheme would be on again at a later date. -The present scheme in reality subsidised the wages of small employers, who, being skilled tradesmen, did jobs themselves. The board in effect had admitted to the benefits of its scheme a large number of men who were not previously a charge on the unemployment funds. If the Government abolished the sales tax on building supplies, and brought the exchange rate back to par, the building industry would be helped more than by the Unemployment Board’s subsidy scheme.