BUILDERS' CONFERENCE

Evening Star, Issue 25422, 1 March 1945, Page 4

BUILDERS' CONFERENCE

REPRESENTATIONS TO GOVERNMENT (P.A.) GISBORNE, March 1. Disapproval was expressed in the report of the Federated Builders and Contractors' conference of .the Rehabilitation Board's policy in employing men trained in rehabilitation training schools on the erection of State houses. Representations had been made by the industry, it stated, for men to be contracted out to builders and contractors for a further period of training to make them thoroughly efficient. "The executive does not approve of the Rehabilitation Board in the matter," the report adds, "as it is firmly believed that better. results can be obtained both in the training of the men and the erection of State houses if private enterprise is given the opportunity and' responsibility of training these men."

Remits adopted were: "As supplies of timber and bricks have so deteriorated throughout the past year as to render farcical economic production, the building conference demands that the Government take immediate and drastic steps to remedy the position and acquaint the industry with its supply programme, if any, for 1945." . ' "That duty and restrictions be re-' moved from Oregon and other imported timbers." "That the conference requests the Government to remove all restrictions on the use of galvanised,, corrugated, and flat iron held by builders and persons other than merchants." "That representations be made to the Government for the lifting of restrictions on the importation of corrugated and. plain iron for building purposes." . " That in view of the unsuitabihty of super, six or seven corrugated asbestos for roofing in small domestic work, representations be made to the Government to increase the production of standard six asbestos roofing."