TIMBER WASTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18896, 19 December 1924, Page 9

TIMBER WASTE.

Sir. In view of tho. alarming shortage of timber, not. only in this Dominion, but hroughout the world—necessitating tho utmost car© in its conservation—permit me to draw public attention to a matter that appears to call for a strong protest. I refer to the question raised by the case of a prosecution under tho Tamaki Road Hoards building by-laws, as reported in your issue of December 11, when the defendant was fined for using 4 by 2 studs in place of 4 by 3 in tho external walls of a house. As every ore with even tho most superficial knowledge of the North Island building practice knows, 4 by 2, or even lighter scantling, has been almost universally used for studding in house building in tho past, and lias been found to be in every way satisfactory for the purpose. As one with over 40 years' practical experience in the building trade, I utter!}' fail to see any justificati >n for insisting on tho use of 4 by 3, which is equal to a 50 per cent, increase in size. Ifc is quite uncalled for, is adding to tho already too high cost of building, and is a wilful waste of our rapidly-diminishing timber supply. I trust that the matter will be taken up by the Builders' Association and those in authority, and that steps will be taken to ensure that local bodies' building by-laws shall conform to common sense, and tho interests of the public. Cnirs.