THE BUILDING TRADE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17942, 22 May 1920, Page 10

THE BUILDING TRADE

SUFFICIENT LABOUR AVAILABLE

UNION SECRETARY'S STATEMENT.

(Fbom Oue Own Coerespondent.) AUCKLAND, May 21. The Government proposal to stop unnecessary building in order that the available Ulwur and capital may be concentrated on tlie building of houses was referred to by Mr T. Bloodworth, secretary to the AucKj knd branch of the Carpenters and Joiners Unjon. Ho saic* that whSe it was true that nraotically all the available labour in the Building trades was fully employed it was not to say that there was a shortage of labour, and'that that shortage was hindering house building Only a few weeks ago a-vessel came here to be insulated, , and he- had been. asked by the owners to get ISO carpenters for that work, and he had no difficulty " in doing so. When the vessel 16ft most of these men were available for building/* work, and had obtained employment. He considered it was a difficult matter to decide which was and which was not essential wort. The demand for houses was to a large extent, occasioned by the booih in trade generally, and to interfere with' the :building of factories or warehouses W6uld interrupt the expansion of trade, and thus check the demand for houses. He that all the building whioh waa being done at the present time was doubtless considered by someone to be essential, or would not bo proceeding while the price of material was so high. It was true there was a shortage of houses and the building trade mechanics, like .others, were being inconvenienced in consequence of that shortage. The local branoh of the Carpenters' Union, however, had under consideration proposals ti, .build, .under a scheme of co-operative labour, -houses far those of their members

■who desired to participate. The scheme would not be confined to carpenters, but would almost certainly include other building tradesmen.