BUILDING TRADE

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 80, 28 December 1940, Page 8

BUILDING TRADE

Regulations To Control

Contracts

It was announced, by the Minister of Supply, Mr. Sullivan, yesterday, that for the punpose of utilizing the building trades to the full during the war .period, emergency regulations, called “The Building Emergency Regulations. 1939, Amendment No. 1,” had been passed by the Executive Council. “These regulations require that no local authority shall -issue a permit for any constructional work which will require the use i>f more than half a ton of structural steel, or the estimated cost of which building exceeds £2OOO, unless the precedent consent of the Building Controller has been obtained,” the Minister said. “In addition, every local authority is required to furnish to the Building Controller monthly copies of all building permits which have .been issued. In districts where no building permits are required, the regulations provide that no construction work of the above-mentioned classes is to be commenced till the consent of the Building Controller - has been obtained, to the commencement of the work.

“In order to enable the local authorities to ascertain whether the application comes witliin tin - particular classes covered by the regulations, I lie local authority is empowered to require details from the applicant as to the nature and quantity of the materials proposed' to be used for the work. In eases where building bylaws impose a time limit, within which the application shall be dealt with, the time limit is to be suspended during the time the matter is under consideration by the Building Controller. “The Building Emergency Regulations, 1939. provided the Building Controller with authority to institute a building permit system. It was expected that, war conditions would have a serious effect, upon the building trades, but the Government was reluctant to bring down regulations of a restrictive nature till such action was imperative. Conditions in the building trade since the declaration of war have been difficult, and a combination of circumstances in relation to nianiwwer as well as the supply of materials lias now made it necessary for the above regulations to be enacted.

“It will be appreciated that in time* of emergency labour and materials should be utilized to the best advantage of the community. The above regulations have been (Kissed with tl» idea of co-ordinating private and Government building activity, sp that the services of the building trades may I’o utilized to the full and to the best advantage of the community in the prevailing circumstances. The regulations will bo published in the. next issue of Aha Gazotia.”