LOCAL BODY BY-LAWS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22492, 29 August 1938, Page 6

LOCAL BODY BY-LAWS

REPRESENTATIONS FOR STANDARDISATION

ACTIVE PROGRAMME

INSTITUTED

An active programme of isation of local body by-laws has been instituted by the New paland Stand ards Institute as a result of strong and numerous representations hy ocal bodies and public authorities through out the Dominion. , This information is contained in the annual report of the institute which states that in making these siibmis sions those concerned, had stressed the general loss and handicap that resulted from the existing position. A « of local authorities had pointed. oJt that their by-laws had not been revised over periods extending from 15 to 50 years, with the result that they weic somewhat obsolete. Others had intimated that they were withholding ie vision or compilation of a new set oi by-laws pending the issue of the standard provisions. . In support of its representations one Email local body emphasised that the preparation and printing of a set o by-laws for its own use would involvconsiderable cost, and that this cost, multiplied by the number of other local bodies similarly placed, would be avoided by the issue of a general set which could be adapted to local requirements of a detailed nature. Again, it had been stressed by othei local authorities that it was not u n " usual to find the use of identical equipment compulsory in one locality yet prohibited in an adjacent district. This, it was pointed out, caused confusion to contractors and artisans; duplication of work and expense m preparing specifications and heavy duplication of the stocks of suppliers. It also handicapped transfer of supplies and incurred heavy capital and obsolescence charges on reserve stocks and stores. Particularly in view of the Comparatively limited quantity of this class of equipment and material that was necessary to satisfy local requirements, unnecessary variations in types, Patterns, and dimensions so diversified its production as to render local manufacture uneconomic, and on this account the institute had to import the material and equipment which could otherwise be manufactured in the Dominion, and thus denied ,to the people of the Dominion opportunity for further employment and enterprise. Further than this, the unnecessary diversification of imported supplies correspondingly increased production costs overseas which, .together with the increased charges incurred at this end, expressed itself in added financial burdens, the only return for which was less efficient service. Good progress had been made up to, the present in response to the representation received from local body interests, particularly about the. development of standards for building construction. A complete survey of the work necessary for the undertaking had been made, including a comprehensive plan of ■ the divisions into which -it would fall and the committees to which the various projects would be delegated had been drawn up as a guide for future activity. A number of - new committees had instituted and were at present engaged in the'development of the relevant standard specifications. It was intended that each separate section of the . work should be issued as it is completed to enable the local bodies to derive, the benefits of the uniform provisions, within the limits of their application to varying local conditions and by progressive stages, until a comprehensive set of by-laws was available providing for the use of the most suitable and uniform equipment and materials.