TRANSIT HOUSING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27513, 6 October 1950, Page 6

TRANSIT HOUSING

Discussion By Building Trade Unions NO STATEMENT ISSUED PA WELLINGTON. Oct. 5. Representatives of the building trade unions from Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin met at a conference sponsored by the Federation of Labour in Wellington today to discuss the Government’s transit housing scheme. The secretary of the federation, Mr K. McL. Baxter, said after the meeting that there was no statement to be issued at this stage, but indicated that agreement had been reached on the various matters placed before the meeting. There will be a conference tomorrow between representatives of the workers and the master builders, and if agreement is reached at this meeting, it will be followed by a joint deputation to make representations to the Government. The president of the Wellington District Council of the Trades Union Congress. Mr T. G. Wells, said today that his council was supporting the Wellington carpenters in their stand against the standard of the dwellings being erected under the scheme. IMPROVED STANDARD Proposal Of Federation Of Labour Special Correspondent WELLINGTON, Oct. 5. Whereas the Carpenters’ Union and other TUC affiliates have adopted a policy of outright refusal to work on transit units, the Federation of Labour hopes to get results by way of improvements to present housing plans. It is considered that with a small additional cost to the State, the standard of comfort provided in the transit scheme could be substantially improved. Joint representations from the federation and the builders would, it is considered, secure these improvements and enable the building of accommodation to go ahead. The Carpenters’ Union and the Wellington Painters’ Union boycotted today’s conference called by the federation at which building trade unions discussed transit housing policy. Carpenters, meanwhile, are doing no work at all in the Wellington area on transit housing. LIMITATION SOUGHT Commercial Building s Daily Times Special Service CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 5. A plan to limit certain building works, including alterations to business premises, and to step up the construction of cottages for pensioners, State houses in urban and rural localities, and blocks of flats in the main centres for married couples, will be presented to a meeting of the National Council of the New Zealand Carpenters’ Union. This was announced today by Mr F. L. Langley, national secretary of the union. He said other representatives of the Trade Union Congress would be invited to the meeting to determine future policy on the important question of housing. ,f With proper organisation and the ever-increasing production of building materials, the very acute housing shortage can be overcome without having to build uneconomic, unhealthy, sub-standard houses as it proposed by the Government,” said Mr Langley. Although the complement of carpenters and joiners in Christchurch had increased for than 10 per cent, during the last two years, the number of men employed on State rental houses had decreased by at least 50 per cent., and probably by as much as 75 per cent, during recent months, and on all housing, including rural, by 25 to 35 per cent., said Mr Langley. The workers were now employed on commercial building and alterations other than to housing.