WAGES OF CARPENTERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18021, 21 February 1922, Page 8

WAGES OF CARPENTERS.

THE PROPOSED REDUCTION.

MORE BUILDING URGED. A largely attended meeting of tho Carpenters' Union was held in tne Trades

Hall last evening for the purpose of considering the advertised intention of tho Builders' Association to reduce the rate of wages currently paid. The secretary, Mr. T. Bloodworth, reported as follows:—"I think it is to be

regretted that in such an important matter the Builders' Association should not have seen fit to officially nbtify the unions concerned of the move it proposed to make. Several builders with whom I have spoken have assured me that the reductions havo been suggested mainly with the idea that if the price of building is reduced some of the work which is now being held over bccauso of the high cost of building, will be almost immediately gone on with. I hopo this will bo one result, but it should not be overlooked that the labour cost in any

building seldom exceeds one-third of the total cost, and therefore, unless there is a corresponding decrease in the price of material, tho price of building will not be very much reduced by this proposed reduction of 10 per cent, in tho wages of building trades mechanics. " There is no doubt that at the present time the volume of work in, the building trade is less than nt any time during the last three years and that such being the case, it is difficult to seo how we can make any effective protest against the proposed reductions even if we desired to do so. The cost of building, more especially of house building, is too high. It is at such a level that working men cannot afford to livo in the houses which

are being built at the rents which owners say they must charge in ordor to get a fair return for their investment. " But, as has been stated, tho labour cost in* building is not the whole or even the main item, and I think that at this stage we could well ask for the cooperation of the Builders' Association and other interested bodies in investigating the causes of the high cost of building with a view to making such representations as will reduce not the labour cost alone, but also the cost of materials and supervision. I think We might also ask, in the interests of the building industry as a whole, that a system of registration of builders and bujlding trade workers be introduced so that workers, on the one hand, might have some protection from incompetent employers, and on the other hand employers would be assured of competent workmen, and the public would be assured of ijood work under competent supervision. " Thirdly, I would recommend that representations bo made to the War Memorial Committee, and the University Building Committee that in view of the present state of the building trade it is desirable that an early start should be made with the respective buildings they have under consideration, if it is at all possible for them to do so. Also that as the demand for homes is by no means satisfied, tho Government be asked to recommence the advancement of loans to returned soldiers and workers for the erection of homes. I think if these suggestions meet with your approval and aro adopted, that we might ask the Builders' Association to meet your representatives in conference to further consider these and other matters which may bo suggested." The proposals were discussed separately, and the report adopted.