BUILDING TRADE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8222, 10 September 1912, Page 2

BUILDING TRADE

CONTRACTORS' LIENS

PROPOSED ARBITRATION CHANGES. VIEWED WITH DISFAVOR. Several grievances in regard to the building trade were represented to the Prime Minister (Hon. W. F. Massey) by a deputation of master builders yesterday morning. The Minister of Public Works (Hon. W. Fraser) was also present. The delegation was introduced by the Hon. A. J.. Herdman. Mr W. H. Bennett, president of the Builders’ Federation, said that they did not think that the Government should bo run by deputations to the Ministers. To prove their belief in this he said tHat several of the matters they desired had been on the stocks for rears. Under the Lien Act builders always thought that the_y were liable as main contractors for 25 per cent, of tho value of subcontractors’ interests. A , recent Wanganui case had upset this, however, and he held that the decision would lead to illegal understandings between unscrupulous subcontractors and workers. They asked that the relevant clause be amended so as to read: “A worker is entitled to a charge for the money due to him for his work on any money payable to tho contractor or subcontractor by whom he is employed.” As an alternative provision should be made that a main contractor should not bo liable for the^ debts of a subcontractor beyond tho 25 per cent, of tho contract, unless such mam contractor should be given notice in waiting within fourteen days of tho debt or wages being incurred. Another clause which gave contractors tremble was the one relating to liens. They asked that it be amended so as to give a contractor a first lien on land which ho had permanently improved, to the amount of such improvement. In other words, they asked that the mortgagee shall automatically become a party to the contract. ARBITRATION ACT. , In regard to tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act the executive of tho association approved the continuance of tho Act and tho constitution of tho court as it now stood, iney viewed with alarm tho proposed alterations. Builders were working under eight to eleven awards, and it 'yaa difficult to get these various awards run on all fours with each other. They feared that tho good work done by the present court was in. danger of being nullified by tho appointment of different persons to the court in vanous districts. There would he no unifomity or unanimity of awards. ~ -1 The Prime Munster: 1 ■mnk it might bo just as well to wait till you get the Bill; you will have an opportunity of giving evidence to the Labor Bills Committee. , Mr Bennett said that a recent deputation had taken Judge Sim to task very strongly for striking out an agreement. But they held that where awards crossed each other it was very difficult for any one. set of persons to deal with the matter; when the judge saw that an agreement was going to act harshly he must stop it. Why should not a joiner make a pictureframe as well as a cabinetmaker i It was only an economic waste that a man should be paid high wages to make anything which, io was admitted, could be made by boys. REGISTRATION OF PLUMBERS. They had also been asked to oppose tho proposed registration of plumbers, since it was thought not advisable to register a branch of a trade while the chief contractor responsible for the whole was unregistered. Plumbers and others were already sufficiently safeguarded by the municipal .bodies. They urged that the railway freight on imported hardwoods should bo reduced. In regard to Government tenders and contracts they asked that bondsmen or cash deposits be optional also that the compulsory filling up of priced schedules and the naming or bondsmen to accompany all tenders be discontinued. The tenderers might be required to provide them within seven days of receiving notice to do so. Complaint was also made as to the delay in notifying unsuccessful tenderers and the return of their del>°The Prime Minister: I think you have a grievance there. . Finally, Mr Bennett said that, in view of recent agitation te_ have all Government works done by day labor, they wished to emphasise that aU expcrienco pointed to the fact that the most economic method was the contract system. Recent returns showed that the extras were few. Messrs A. Campbell and J. Trevor also supported the requests. PRIME MINISTER’S REPLY.

The Prime Minister, in reply, agreed that the matters were of great importance to the trade individually and collectively. Some of . the pmnts raised were purely technical, and before ho could express an opinion he I would have to compare their proposals I with the Act, such as the suggestions in regard to the Lien Act. The Arbitration Bill had been finally revised, and lie hoped to lay it before the House on Wednesday or Thursday. It would then go to the Labor Bills Committee, and he invited them to give evidence at that stage. The Plumbers Registration Bill was being dealt with by tho Minister in charge of Public Health; the Bill itself was now in the hands of the Crown Law draughtsmen and it would afterwards go to tho Labor Bills Committee. In regard to deposits, he agreed that sometimes they wore kept for an unnecessarily long time, but the Minister of Public Works intended to remedy the trouble. Railway freights on foreign timbers were at present under consideration by the Minister 111 charge of railways. The point had been raised by the recent deputations, though, he was not quite certain whether it would have to stand over till a general revision of rates was made Their representations would the consideration to which they were entitled.