THE HOUSE FACTORY.

Thames Star, Volume LXII, Issue 17438, 24 August 1928, Page 5

THE HOUSE FACTORY.

CLOSES THIS MONTH. TRANSFER TO MAMAIvU. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) HAMILTON, Aug. 24. Definite advice was received yesterday that- the Government sawmill and house factory at Frankton will he closed before the end of next month. The mill will recommence operations at Mamaku.

The manager states clearly that there will be no unemployment as the result of the winding-up. There are about ninety employees involved, and those not transferred will be absorbed by other Government Departments. The housing programme is finished, but there are about fifty houses to leave the factory before it is dismantled. It is declared that the mill can be of no further use at Frankton, as twothirds of its output are used for houses only. It is understood that the Mamaku mill will prepare timber for the use of all Government Departments.

The factory manager refuted the statement by the Leader of the Opposition that men will be thrown out of employment. It was a fact, however, he said, that the mill had been surfeited with large stocks of timber from private millers, which were added to from the Department’s own mill. The Department had refused to sell outside, and stocks had accumulated until two years ago, when the timber was disposed of.