BUILDING CONTROL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21344, 19 November 1932, Page 13

BUILDING CONTROL

. NEW GOVERNMENT BILL ARCHITECTS' OBJECTIONS Further comment on the Building Construction Bill at present before Parliament was made yesterday by Mr. R. A. Lippincott, chairman of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Institute of Architects, who has now had opportunity to examine the detailed clauses of the measure. Four main objections were made by the architects to the very similar bill which was withdrawn last year, and Mr. Lippincott says that none of these has really been met in the new bill. The first objection was that there was inadequate representation of the architectural profession on the Building Committee. In all probability only one of the six members would be an architect. Secondly, they objected to the over-riding authority being given to the engineer-in-chief or his deputies with regard to the inspection both of plans and of buildings. Permits could be altered or revoked by him at any time during the progress of a work, and that would be particularly unfortunate in cases of earthquake construction whore there were certain indeterminate factors to bo decided as a matter of individual judgment.

It was further considered that the compulsory employment of a clerk of works on all buildings was absolutely unnecessary and would be futile in many cases. Strong exception was taken ,to the special tax of one-eighth of 1 per cent of tlio cost of construction, which still remained in the bill. "If it is not intended to employ large numbers of inspectors in the Public Works Department," said Mr. Lippincott, " the provision of any such sum is absolutely unnecessary and constitutes an unfair tax on the property owner. "In some ways our objections have been met, but the Government has done it in such a way that other features almost more objectionable have appeared," ho said. " At the same time, it is recognised by the architects that we need a bill." The headquarters of the Architects' Institute in Wellington has already made strong protest against the powers of inspection given to the engineer-in-chief, and the Auckland branch is conferring with headquarters as to what action shall be taken with regard to the other three points of objection.