BUILDING CAMPAIGN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21561, 4 August 1933, Page 11

BUILDING CAMPAIGN

BUSINESS MEN'S VIEWS NEW GOVERNMENT OFFICES STIMULATING EMPLOYMENT Tho erection in Auckland of new Government buildings, banks, insurance buildings and houses is urged by the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce as a practical measure to stimulate trade and employment. Among tho buildings which it suggests is a State Fire Insurance office in High Street, a building to provide accommodation for the Stamp Duties Department, tho Valuation Department and tho official assignee, a new post office on the Shorthand Street Post Office site and additions to tho Supreme Court. These suggestions were recommended to' the council yesterday by a special committeo appointed to consider tho unemployment problem. "For some years," stated the committee's report, "large building operations in tho city have been at a standstill and many of our most important institutions and various Government departments are still occupying structures which were erected many years ago, and which to-day fall far short of modern requirements, and are not worthy of either the institutions or the city. Tho chamber desires to make it clear that in advancing these proposals it considers these buildings should be exclusively used for housing Government departments, and not for letting in competition with privately-owned buildings." Renovation of Houses The committee urged further " tho painting and renovation of hundreds of houses in tho city and suburbs that are so much in need of attention, and the continued neglect of which will mean inevitable loss to the owners and tho mortgagees." It was also suggested that tho Unemployment Board bo asked to encourage the owners or mortgagees of houses owned by the unemployed to paint and repair the buildings, and so prevent their further deterioration. "Tho board." stated tho report, "should agree to provide the labour and 'might increase the amount of pay given, so that instead of a painter earning 25s to 30s a week on work for which ho is totally untrained and unfitted, he might earn, say, 50s a week in work congenial and for which he is suited, thereby fulfilling three important objects: (1) He is conserving tho i wealth of tho country; (2) he is getting suitable employment at an increased rate; (3) the result is an immediate stimulation of other trades by tho circulation of this extra money. "A further beneficial result would be that adjacent owners who were not unemployed would probably find it incumbent on them to start painting and decorating their own houses, and any suggestion which induces people to take these steps is undoubtedly of great value in reducing unemployment." "Not Trying to Dictate"

Mr. W. R. Fee, on behalf of the committee. said the Government was spending money on building schemes in the South, and an effort should be made to induce it to spend money in Auckland. "We are not attempting to dictate to anyone," he said, "but merely ask them to be patriotic and do what they can for the common good." He added that in his opinion Auckland should have at least one more modern hotel in tho vicinity of Queen Street, and an invitation could be extended to tho Dilworth trustees to proceed with tho erection of the building already under contemplation on the old Waitemata Hotel site. Tho new building for tho Mater Miscricordiae Hospital in Mountain Road, tho foundation of which had already been laid, might also be proceeded with. Mr. A. G. Lunn said that anything that would relieve the unemployed of the drudgery of their present work should be supported. Vacant Office Space Mr. A. A. Ross said it was possible that the city was already overbuilt, in which case further capital expenditure on buildings would bo a dead loss to the owners. Mr. J. Park said it might be thought that the chamber was "poking its nose into other people's business," but if the recommendations were accepted in the right spirit a tremendous amount of good might residt. Tho president, Mr. H. Turner, .said it was not desired to embarrass owners of city property by asking for the erection of new" buildings which would enter into competition with existing office space. Mr. G. Jackson said tho erection of more banks and insurance buildings would certainly increase the amount of office accommodation and add to the difficulties of property owners. What should be aimed at was an increase in tho volume of business, which would be followed automatically by building construction. He moved that the references to banks and insurance offices be deleted. The amendment was lost and the committee's report and recommendations were approved by a substantia 1 majority.

NEW BUSINESS BLOCK

ERECTION AT BIRKENHEAD Plans have boon submitted to the Birkenhead Borough Council of a block of business premises at Highbury. The building will comprise five shops and a dwelling, and will cover a ( frontago of 99ft. on the south side of Mokoia Road, adjoining the site purchased by the Government for tho central post office. The buildings, which will be constructed of reinforced concrete, are for Mr. W. H. Payne, and a contract has been let to N. Cole, Limited, for their erection. Tho approximate value will be £3500.