BAN LIFTED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 197, 21 August 1942, Page 6

BAN LIFTED

PRIVATE BUILDING

MORE LABOUR AVAILABLE

' The budding controller in Auckland is inviting applications for alterations to private premises and | for the building of new houses, and old applications for such building jobs can be re submitted. This is the first indication locally that the Government ban on private building j operations has been lifted. ' Permission is being given for the building of new houses by private - enterprise, but each permit will be > considered on its merits. Factors to r be taken into account by the controller in issuing the permits will | be the urgency of the applicant's need for a new house, having regard to ■ , hi s family status and requirements. > I Thus it may happen that on- the 11 plea of hardship new applicants may [ i take precedence over some whose I I applications had been lodged at an ' earlier date. 1 There is reason to believe that the completion of essential defence works has resulted in the release for the time being of thousands of men, who will be available for private building. as well as for expanding the State housing construction programme which had languished when the cut in house building was made in March last. This is in line with the Government's declaration at that . time that the State housing pro-; . gramme would be brought back to ; normal and private enterprise also • | assisted in housing and business construction as soon as was possible. This promise seems to be on the point of being fulfilled so far as the neces- . sary labour is concerned. j Wliat of Material? The position in regard to materials ; appears to be much as it was some , six months ago. It is understood that. | the Government is making every 1 effnrt to secure sufficient materials to enable houses to be built well and | satisfactorily. Evidently this means that efforts will be made to secure an adequate supply of stoves. In regard to water piping and electric , wiring it is hoped that arrangements Will have been made to meet the , need by the time construction is (advanced to the stage when the I plumbing and wiring has to be put in. Without doubt the building in[dustry will need to adapt itself to . the situation by evolving substitutes and inventing devices for meeting difficulties in this respect. I A Word of Warning

There are indications that the earlief rigid control by the Dominion Controller in Wellington may be relaxed in favour of permits being granted by the various district controllers. Last week the Ohinemuri County Council at Waihi was notified by the Dominion Controller that in future all applications for building projects were to be referred to the nearest district controller. The council was warned, however, that permits would only be approved subject to the proposed works being of a reasonably essential nature. "It is to be understood," added the controller, "that the granting of building permits will not necessarily imply an assurance that materials or labour will be available, or the work may not be stopped at any time under the Building Emergency Regulations, 1939."