BUILDING TRADE.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19715, 4 September 1929, Page 16

BUILDING TRADE.

CANTERBURY ASSOCIATION. PROGRESS LEAGUE GRANT. The monthly meeting of the Canterbury Master Builders' Association was held last evening, Mr W. P. Glue (president) occupying the chair. Dr. P. Marshall, of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Eesearch, wrote advising that all the manuscript for the bulletin on building stones was in the hands of the printer. In the draft of the new building bylaws of the City Council one clause provides that "plans of buildings in the inner area and of buildings of over £2OOO in value in the outer area shall be signed by a registered architect." After some discussion it was decided to propose to the City Council the substitution of the following: "Plans of buildings in the inner and outer area of over £4OOO in value shall be signed by a registered architect."

The Canterbury Branch of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners wrote asking the Association to co-operate in the compilation of a complete list of builders and employers in the Canterbury district who employed carpenters and joiners; and in securing an amendment of the Arbitration Act so as to provide that all employers in an industry, or all employing workers in an industry wherein wages and conditions were fixed by an industrial agreement or award of the Court, should be bound by that award or agreement without having to be cited separately as at present.

The letter stated that it would be plain why co-operation was sought. The present award expired at the end of the year, and as complete a list of employers as possible was wanted.

It was decided on the recommjendation of the committee to give the Union as much assistance as possible in the matter. A circular letter from the Canterbury Progress League asked for the renewal of the Association's practical sympathy, goodwill, and support. Mr Glue said the League had come in for a good deal of discussion, with local bodies cutting out their subscriptions. "Its work is not understood by many people," said Mr Glue. "It is very far-reaching, and the League is entitled to all the support the Association can give it." It was always working on. some problem, and the amount of work it put in was marvellpus. Mr Glue referred to the work of Mr J. E. Strachan, the immediate past president of the League, in connexion with the privileges of wireless amateurs, and that of the League on the proposed new road to the West Coast. He had noticed that the Waimairi County Council had decided not to renew its subscription, but it had not been unanimous. The Ashburton County Council had also decided to withhold its subscription temporarily. He was surprised at the action of the Waimairi County Council, for the League had done good work for it in the matter of roads. If one body after another withdrew its support from the League, it would soon be a thing of the past. Mr Glue moved that the Association vote its usual donation of £3 3s. Thig was seconded by Mr J. W. Graham, and carried, Mr B. Nightingale being the only dissentient. Mr W. H. Winsor (secretary) moved that Mr Glue be reappointed the Association's representative on the League's executive. He said Mr Glue had been very active. The motion was carried.

The secretary of the New Zealand Federation advised that it had taken no further action in the matter of the proposal to abolish the Apprentices' Act, but the matter would be .brought up at the nest meeting. Mr Winsor was authorised to draft proposed alterations to the Apprentices Amendment Bill for submission to the committee. Reporting on the inspection of the harbour facilities at Lyttelton, Mr J. Lorimer said he was of the opinion that the thin end of the wedge had been entered for free entry to the ferry wharf. He was delighted to think that that was true. It would be a great convenience that they would be able to drive on to this wharf by right, not by favour. The committee was asked to report on a proposal advanced by Mr Watson that a day's outing be held in the coming summer. Attention was drawn to the provisions of the Scaffolding and Excavation Bill introduced by the Hon. Mr Veitch by Mr Graham, and it was agreed to suggest to the New Zealand Federation of Builders that it should oppose Clause sof the Bill. This provides that the Act should apply in the matter of excavations to every excavation made by any local authority or public body, unless the work of making such excavation is carried out by or under the direction of a civil engineer registered under the Engineers' Registration Act, 1924, and is at all times under the personal supervision of an inspector or clerk of works employed by such local authoritv or public body who is certified m writing by such engineer to be competent to exercise such supervision.