BAN ON ROOFING IRON

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 21, 19 October 1944, Page 4

BAN ON ROOFING IRON

Protection Of Vested Interests Alleged REGULATIONS ATTACKED (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) ' CHRISTCHURCH, October 18. A vigorous attack on the regulations under which three/builders were charged with using galvanized iron in the construction of houses was made by counsel, Mr. C. S. Thomas, in the Magistrates’ Court today. He contended that the regulations were being used for the protection of vested interests. Two of the builders, 11. Brake and iS. Harrington, were fined £5 each and J. L. Grant was fined £lO. D. Barlass, a plumber, was fined £5.

“I am instructed that the building industry is seething with discontent because of what is considered maladministration in this particular department,” said Mr. Thomas. “They say. that the stand by the department and its officers, is. wholly unreasonable, against the public interest and has had and will have a detrimental effect on the building of houses. They are unable to get any satisfaction at all, so they have come to court to ventilate their grievances. “When the regulations were first promulgated they were necessary, but today that necessity has disappeared and the builders contend that the. regulations are being used for the protection and furthering of vested interests. They maintain it is a scandal that the cost of building has been greatly increased by the way the regulations are enforced, that building is being impeded, and that the regulations are one of the reasons why we are not getting the houses required today.”

There were four types of roofing materials, said Mr. Thomas —tiles, malthoid, fibrolite and galvanized iron. Tiles were unobtainable, while many people would not have malthoid -on a roof. The department refused to permit men holding galvanized iron to use it. Fibrolite was manufactured by only one concern in the South Island and supplies were not sufficient.

“Fibrolite raises the costs,” said Sir. Thomas, “and builders have taken exception to the protection of vested interests and to the department forcing them to buy fibrolite through Dominion Industries, of which the Commissioner of Works, Mr. J. Fletcher, is the principal shareholder. These men are being forced to buy through that, concern at a very high rate. “I am instructed that there is plenty of iron in this country for roofing and downpipes and that Australia can supply us with as much galvanized iron as .we want, but that we can’t get it into the country.” The magistrate, Mr. A. A. McLachlan, said that, while he sympathized with the men holding supplies, byeaches of the regulations had been committed.