WORK AND WAGES.

Evening Star, Issue 11895, 25 May 1903, Page 2

WORK AND WAGES.

THE MASTER BUILDERS OF CHRIST* CHURCH. [Special to tAb StaS.] According to the Christchurch ‘Press’ there is trouble in the ranks of the local Master Builders’ Association. Recently the Association decided to have introduced in all specifications a clause known -as the “earthquake” clause, providing that if any building in course of erection shall' suffer injury by reason of earthquake the loss caused by mu.li injury should not fall upon the contracting builder, but upon the owner of the property for whom the building is being erected. The architects were notified of the fact, an intimation being given that the members of the Association declined to tender unless the clause were inserted in all future specifications. The architects, with two exceptions, agreed. One of the architects who did not submit, hearing that no tenders were to be sent in for a large building which he had designed, threatened to send to Melbourne for then and to Hobart for timber to cany ont the work. He also made arrangements with a member of the Association to carry out the brick and masonary portion of the structure by day labor if* necessary to save delay till the Australians arrived, and-on the matter being discussed at the Association’s meeting it was held that the firm who had agreed to do this day work ought'honorably to withdraw from the ' Builders’ Association. The firm did not" agree to this; and after a lively meeting the member referred to and o',her prominent members Withdrew from the Builders’ Association. It is understood that satisfactory arrangements have been made by the architect who objects to the “earthquake” danse to have the large work previously referred to carried out by some of the seceding members of the Assodation.