BIG CONTRACTS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19627, 23 October 1933, Page 4

BIG CONTRACTS

LUMP LABOUR SUBISDY. By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, October 2f. A Wellington builder and a member of the executive of the New Zealand Federated Builders and Contractors Industrial Assolcatlon of Employers’ when approached in reference o a report that the Unemployment Board is granting a subsidy on the cost of erecting the Dunedin Post Office by granting a lump sum subsidy and also the possibility of a similar arrangement jeing made in relation to the Wellington railway station contract, said that the object of the No. 10 Building Subsidy Scheme was to encourage the spending of capital ’n building and thus create employment. By the methods suggested, the principle was no doubt being fairly well observed. By this method contractors on such jobs were not restricted bv the conditions relating to the No. 10 Building Subsidy Scheme, such as the 40 hour week, etc. The granting of a lump sum building subsidy to the Post and Telegraph and Railways Department was highly appreciated by the Association. The Unemployment Fiard. in granting this subsidy without restricting the hours of work was to be commended. He believed that an estimated subsidy of 8 per cent, of the amount of the contract wa< the best method that could be adopted The Association urged that such a scheme should be made available to private owners to encourage the spending ..f capital on building work, and that the harassing restrictions in relation to working hours and the employment of labour should be withdrawn.