USE OF PINUS TIMBER

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26967, 17 February 1953, Page 10

USE OF PINUS TIMBER

CITY COUNCIL TO RELAX BYLAWS

Relaxation of the building by-laws to allow the use of Pinus radiata timber in the same way as is done by the Housing Department was agreed to by the Christchurch City Council at its meeting last evening. The housing and town planning committee recommended relaxation of the by-laws from a national point of view. In its report the coftimittee stated that because of the continued shortage of red pine the use of Pinus radiata for building had been encouraged in Government circles, and particularly by the Forest Service because of the dwindling supplies of native timber. The Housing Department did not permit the use of Pinus radiata for under floor timbers, bottom wall plates, or flat roof construction. Treated pinus was allowed for weatherboards, floorboards, tind studding for brick veneer if lined with lath and plaster. Pinus was permitted to be used untreated in all other positions. The committee said also that shortly after the war the council had allowed the use of Pinus radiata above the floor level in houses, subject to the timber being properly graded. Shortly afterwards large quantities of the pinus available in Christchurch was of inferior quality, and the council’s sanction for the use of pinus was withdrawn.

“Generally the quality of pinus has improved somewhat since then,” said the report. “It is, however, mostly far from satisfactory in the grading. Any relaxation in the by-laws must be subject to a condition of only suitable timber being used. This will throw a heavy burden on the building inspectors.