HOUSING SCHEME

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22578, 17 November 1936, Page 13

HOUSING SCHEME

Sir, —In common with most of those engaged in building 1 have waited to se<T what system would bo put in operation for tlio building of the workers' homos. Tlio statement that one building firm would be allowed to | tender for any multiple of 20 bouses | does not seem to be in tlio best interests of tlio trade generally. Alight I suggest that an excellent opportunity exists to encourage craftsmanship by building at least somo of the houses bv direct labour. There are many able building foremen out of work also craftsmen. These men have remained members of their trades unions and helped to elect the present Government. Tlio government could now help them by engaging them to erect somo of the proposed dwellings and the cost should be less and the work better than if produced by a mass production firm. A further suggestion is offered that somo of the houses should bo erected by those cral'v,smeu who, by reason of old age or infirmity, are unable to earn the award rate from a mass production firm. Ifc should not be difficult to pay by results and the quality of tlio work done by some of the older men would be a revelation to both the supervisors and the general public. Of course a fair wage should bo paid and this could be agreed to by the union and Inspector of Factories and apply only to those dwellings erected by direct labour. 1 do not wish to criticise destructively, but the method adopted in the erection of the unwanted factories should not be allowed to be repeated in the erection of tlio dwellings. Surely a Minister of a Labour Government should be sympathetic to the direct employment of labour and should not encourage a monopoly by letting one huge contract. Ernest B. Bambury.