ARCHITECTS’ PETITIONS Act Amendment Favoured

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31196, 21 October 1966, Page 12

ARCHITECTS’ PETITIONS Act Amendment Favoured

riVew Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 20. The Government was today asked to give favourable consideration to the petitions of three Christchurch architects who seek amendment to the Architects Act.

On September 20 Mr C. R i McAllister asked Parliament ito revoke the Architects Act or amend provision relating to registration of himself and others in similar cases as architects.

Later this session, almost identical petitions were presented in the house for Mr R. S. Moir and Mr J. G. Stanley-Joblin. In his petition, Mr McAllister, a practising architect until last June 28, said he had applied for registration as an architect but w r as rejected by the Architects Registration Tribunal. His appeal against

the decision was dismissed by the Supreme Court. Today Mr G. G. Grieve (Govt., Awarua) chairman of the Petitions Committee, reported to the House its recommendation that all three petitions be referred to the Government for favourable consideration.

Mr Grieve told Parliament that petitioners’ requests had revolved around the definition of what constituted an architect.

Sir Basil Arthur (Opp., Timaru) said the committee had great sympathy for the petitioners and their request. It thought the situation could be covered by amendment and therefore brought down the "favourable consideration” recommendation rather than “most favourable consideration.” which could infer that the Act should be revoked.

Sir Basil Arthur said he believed that the tribunal had misinterpreted the intentions of the House in passing the Architects Act, but Mr J R Harrison (Govt., Hawkes Bay) disagreed.

Before debate was interrupted by the 5.30 p.m. dinner adjournment. Mr Harrison said more than 250 appeals had been made and only 12 were revoked by the appeal authority.