RECONSTRUCTION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 39, 16 February 1931, Page 6

RECONSTRUCTION.

The Institute of Architects is to be congratulated on having taken immediate action to put the expert knowledge of the profession at the disposal of the community. The results of the investigation by the special committee that has gone to the earthquake area will form the basis of the new building regulations that the country needs. If architects had been listened to, the country would have been given such regulations some time ago. The disaster's revelations of poor planning and unfaithful workmanship have come as a shock, and there should be a nation-wide demand for drastic action. One result of the disaster will be to raise the status of the trained architect in the community.' Hitherto he has been considered rather as a luxury, whereas he is really a necessity. The services of an architect, however, will be useless in the stricken area if there is no money to erect buildings, and before long the Government must make up its mind what is to be done about providing finance- for reconstruction. The damage has been tentatively estimated, and the amount runs into millions, a total beyond the capacity of private enterprise to supply. There will be many losers by the disaster, such as banks and other large concerns, that will' be able to finance their own rebuilding, but for many others help must be provided. A special reconstruction loan may be necessary. It is not fair to hustle the Government in these difficult times. It has done very well in the greatest emergency of the kind' this country has known. But obviously some more or less accurate estimate of the damage must be made and decisions taken as to how the money for reconstruction is to be obtained and how it is to be allocated. Probably the central committee, which is an unwieldy body, will have quite enough to do to' administer the privately subscribed relief funds, without being asked to decide which individuals and firms, are to be lent money from the main reconstruction funds, and it may be necessary to appoint a special body,of business men to take charge of reconstruction as distinct from relief. *