BUILDING SUBSIDY.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 494, 1 July 1932, Page 7

BUILDING SUBSIDY.

New Scheme Operative from To-day. DETAILS EXPLAINED. The building subsidy scheme, drawn up by the Unemployment Board, with a view to stimulating the building industry and absorbing many unem--1 ployed, came into operation to-day. Since the scheme was originally announced by the Minister of Employment (the Rt. Hon J. G. Coates) it has been amended, and the proposals require a good deal of studying by those who desire to avail themselves of the subsidy. The procedure to be adopted in making application for the subsidy, and various details of the scheme were outlined this morning by Mr E. C. Sutcliffe, secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joineis. “ The scheme, known as scheme No. 10,” stated Mr Sutcliffe, “to use a poetic phrase, looks ‘ green, refreshing and beautiful,’ but it may be in operation ‘dust and bitterness’ ... The scheme looks easy money for someone, but there is so much form and ceremony to be observed that one wonders how the ordinary person will get through the tangle.” The Amended Regulations. Mr Sutcliffe added that the Unemployment Board, after conferring with representatives of the various branches of the building industry had now reissued the building subsidy scheme in an amended form. This, together with the regulations, was now ready to put into operation. The subsidy scheme was as follows: Classes of Work. Class I—Painting;, paperhanging, reno, vating, modernising, repairing or making alterations or additions to private dwellings where- the occupier is the owner thereof, or where the occupier is purchasing the dwelling. Class 2.—Painting, renovating or making repairs of dwellings other than those in Class 1. Class —The building of dwellings for the bona fide owner-occupier. Class 4.—Painting or maintenance repairs or alterations, or building business premises for commercial buildings. Class s.—Building, rebuilding, painting or renovating public or semi-public buildings. Class (s.—Building, making alterations or additions to. and the painting, renovating or repairing of dairy or other factories, freezing works or storehouses for primary produce. Conditions for Subsidy. (1) The work must come within one of the classes enumerated above. In the case of classes 1 or 2 it may be approved by the local certifying officer, but if it comes within classes 3 to 6 inclusive, it must be submitted to the Unemployment Board for approval, and •lie work must not be commenced unless and until such approval is notified. (2) The amount of subsidy which may be paid will be determined as folOn all work in Classes 1,2 and 3 above, and on work in Classes 4. 5 and 6 above, in cases where the total estimated labour cost does not exceed £SO. a subsidy may be paid in respect of all labour engaged in accordance with rule 4 hereunder at the rate of 6s Sd for each pound of wages paid, provided that the maximum subsidy on the wages of any one man shall bo at the rate of 22s 6d in any one " On all other approved work a subsidy may be paid in respect of all labour engaged in accordance with rule 4 hereunder, provided that such labour does not exceed SO per cent of the total labour engaged on the work, at the rate of Ss -Id for each pound of wages paid, provided that the maximum subsidy on the wages of any one man shall be at the rate of 25s in any one week.

(3) "Work must be commenced between the dates of July 1 and December 31. 1932 (both inclusive). Work may be approved which will extend beyond June 30 1933, but, in such cases, the maximum subsidy on and after July 30, 1933, will be one-half of the rates provided in rule 2 above. (4) Labour on which a subsidy is claimed must be engaged through a Government Labour Bureau. (5) The normal working week will be that laid down in the current agreement or award covering the industry, but it is suggested that if. and so long as, the nhirnber of registered unemployed tradesmen on any job exceeds 20 per cent of the total the weekly hours be reduced to 40 at the same rate per hour (6) Nothing in these rules shall be taken to interfere with or alter in any wav the wages and conditions provided for in the award for the of worker

concerned. ... , „„ (7) Builders must cover their workeis under the provisions of the Workers Compensation Act. The Unemployment Board will not -o eept any responsibility in this connection. ... (SY New Zealand materials and products must >3 used wherever possible. “ Not the Whole Story.”

“ This is not the whole of the story,” said Mr Sutcliffe. “There is. as usual with Government schemes, certain procedure to be followed in making applications for the subsidy, and, as is also usual, if the forms are not followed correctly and the regulations obeyed, the* claimant of the subsidy may be fined up to £2O. While the scheme looks like easy money for someone, there is so much form and ceremony that one wonders how the ordinary person will get through the tangle. “ Wha£ is most important of all, work must not be commenced until permsision has been obtained to do it, in classes one and two, from the local certifying officer, and in other classes from the Commissioner of Unemployment. To obtain this permission, it is necessary to fill in in duplicate Form U 899, and this form must not be filled in until the applicant has read and understood the conditions and regulations printed on the back. “ On this form must be given such particulars as the number of his coupon book, the date upon which he paid the latest employment instalment, his name, address and situation, description and duration of the work, cost of labour, total cost, number of men it is proposed to employ, and if the work is to be done bv day labour, private or public tender. Then he is required to make an acknowledgement of having read the conditions on the back, and to sign an agreement to abide by and observe them. “This U 899 in duplicate is then sent to the Labour Department, which will either deal with it locally or send it to the head office. This will depend, of course, in which class the work falls. The work must not be started until Form ÜBIOI is received from the Lrnemployment Board. When this is received work can begin. If it is started earlier, no subsidy will be paid. How to Get the Subsidy. “ How to get the subsidy will, of course, be an important factor, but before it can be secured, another lengthy form (UB100) must be filled in. This one is all important to the owner, builder and worker, for this reason: The owner or builder is required to pay all wages and make a declaration that he has done so before he gets any subsidy, and the worker is required to give a clear receipt to the employer that he has received all his wages, before the subsidy will be paid. “ Workers will have to watch their step here, becau.se if they sign for wages under the No. 10 scheme and agree to wait for payment until the

subsidy arrives, they will get nothing, and they will have no legal remedy against the owner or builder for recovery of any wages due. There is this safeguard, that if the owner or builder fills in ÜBIOO and it is not correct, he w’ill be liable to a fine of £2O, but I am afraid this will not help the w’orker.”