KEEN WELCOME

Southland Times, Issue 21716, 31 May 1932, Page 6

KEEN WELCOME

MINISTER’S SCHEME SUBSIDIZING WAGES THE BUILDING INDUSTRY (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, May 30. The new scheme by which the Unemployment Board will subsidize the wages of certain skilled unemployed men to enable their reabsorption in the building ihdustry is already meeting with a gratifying response according to the Minister of Employment, the Right Hon. J. G. Coates, who. passed through Auckland on his return to Wellington. , Mr Coates said that although the scheme had only just been announced, he had received many inquiries from potential employers under the scheme. He had received one offer involving £20,000 worth of labour. Mr Coates said that the. actual amount of wages received by men engaged under the scheme would be a matter for arrangement between the employer and the men themselves. Judging by the number of telegrams he had received ottering employment under these terms and asking for further particulars, the proposal was being keenly welcomed. It would be the means of providing a number of skilled men with something more satisfying than pick and shovel work and with employment that would return them a better wage. Other schemes of relief work throughout country were proceeding very satismctorilv. The men themselves were responding and the public generally was very helpful. The 10 acre farm scheme was developing in ah encouraging manner. COMMENT OF MASTER BUILDER. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, May 30. Mr J. W. Graham, president ofthe Master Builders’ and Contractors federation, commenting on the Governments scheme for assisting building said master builders appreciated the fact that the scheme aims at stimulating what is regarded in America as the key industry. The scheme involving a portion ot the. unemployment funds being spent in improving private property requires exhaustive consideration before being placed in operation. His personal opinion was that the scheme should be confined to public buildings or organizations not carried on for pni vate profit or competing with private i enterprise. He mentioned the Dunedin 1 Post Office, the Christchurch State Fire Building, the Dominion Museum, various post offices, and railway build'ngs while in some cases, for example, the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Industrial Hall, a loan from the funds at a low rate of interest or free of interest would enable the building to proceed.