How Private Builders Stand

Northern Advocate, 9 April 1942, Page 2

How Private Builders Stand

[Per Press Association —Copyright]

WELLINGTON, This Day

The position regarding private building was clarified yesterday by the Commissioner for Defence Construction (Mr. James Fletcher), who said certain misconceptions were apparently entertained by the public. The recent regulations, designed to divert the building industry to the large-scale defence programme, have not, as yet at any rate, entirely stopped private building. Where permits for private building were held before the introduction of the regulations, work may continue in the meantime provided cement is not used. The Building Controller, however, has notified all contractors on such work that they may be required to cease operation within seven days of receiving notice to that effect. Such notice, Mr. Fletcher said, will be given only when men on the job concerned are required for defence works. Cement for building may be obtained only by application to the Public Works engineer, and applications will be granted only if the job is considered vitally important in the national interest, or if cement is required to make the building in course of construction structurally safe. “A number of- large contracts using cement have been suspended,” said Mr. Fletcher, “and from indications of requirements of the defence programme, will probably be shut down for about four months. No new building of any sort, whether cement is used or not, can now be begun without consent of the Building Controller.”