REGISTRATION OF BUILDERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 174, 25 July 1928, Page 11

REGISTRATION OF BUILDERS.

HIGH IDEALS. The retiring president of the Ota go Builders' Association (Mr. F. L. Lawrence) has very high ideals as to what should constiute a builder (says the "Otago Daily Times"). In the course of his address to the members at the annual meeting on Thursday, he stated that the most important step towards attaining those ideals would be the enactment of legislation to permit of the registration of builders. If that could be accomplished it would eliminate the irresponsible and incompetent builders whose methods tended to bring the whole trade into disrepute, particularly in respect of dwelling-house construction. For many years the Builders' Federation had been endeavouring to secure the introduction of the necessary legislation, but the prospects of success seemed as remote as ever. Just prior to the opening of Parliament representations on the subject were again made ! to the Prime Minister, who had replied j repeating a former statement "that my I investigations do not lead me to the conclusion that matters in the building trade are so unsatisfactory as to require the passing of such an Act as you wish, and therefore, the Government cannot see its way to introduce such legislation during the coming session." From time to time, fires were caused through faulty construction with consequent damage to property and risk of life, and anything which would tend to create a high standard of efficiency on the part of the builder must be in the public interest. With this in view, said Mr. Lawrence, the attitude of the Government on the subject of registration was incomprehensible.