PRIVATE BUILDING

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 9 April 1942, Page 4

PRIVATE BUILDING

! POSITION CLARIFIED BY COMMISSIONER ! The position regarding private build--1 ing was clarified yesterday by the Com- ! missioner of Defence Construction. Mr ; James Fletcher, who said that certain i misconceptions were apparently entertained by the public.\ Recent regulations designed to divert the building industry to a large-seal' ! defence programme have not. as yet at : any rate, entirely stopped private j building. Where permits for private building were held before the introduction of the regulations work may , continue meantime, provided cement is not used. The building controller. . however, has notified all contractors on such work that they may be required 1 to cease operation within seven days ’ ot receiving notice to that effect. Such notice. Mr Fletcher said, will be given 1 only when the men on the job concern_ ’ i eel are required for defence works. J Cement for building may he obtained ; only by application to the Public Works j I engineer. and ap/lications will be | granted only if the job is considered I vitally important in the national interest or if cement is required to make ;a building in course of construction structurally safe. I “A number of large contracts using cement have been suspended." said Mr . Fletcher, “and from the indications of - the requirements of the defence pro- ; gramme will probably be shut down J for about four months.” L No new building of any sort, whether • cement is used or not. can now be bei gun without the consent of the build- - ing controller. i i Inquiries made yesterday indicated 1 : that the effect of the new regulations 1 has not yet been widely felt in Wellinß- ‘ ton, though a few large conti acts ha vs been held up. Higher costs, shortages - , f both materials and labour, and re* ‘ strictions on Hie value of buildings pel - - mined and on the quantify of steel to : be used in them have had the result ol i tapering off building operations very - greatly over the last year or so. In the year ended 31st March. 1942. the 1 ! Wellington City Corporation issued 'I permits for buildings valued at £564.774. compared with £852.442 the previous year and £1.131.794 in vein •’ ended March. 1939. Last month per- ; mits were issued for buildings valuer ' at £34.816. compared with £61.692 tin previous year. -P.A.