PLANS HELD UP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23340, 8 May 1939, Page 14

PLANS HELD UP

AMP. BUILDING i NEW AUCKLAND BLOCK "restrictions on steel TROUBLE OVER PERMITS

The intended construction by the Australian Mutual Provident Society of an eight-storey building, with frontages to Queen Street and Victoria Street East, is now dependent on permits being obtained for the necessary steel and possibly other material. It had been intended to make a start on the btiilding in September, but it is believed that unless the society can obtain guarantees that it will be able to import the'requisite steel, the proposals will be deferred. In the meantime it is understood that the preparation of the working plans has been suspended.

Reference to the building scheme was made by Sir Alexander Roberts, of the New-Zealand directorate of the society, when speaking at the 90th annual meeting in .Sydney on Friday. He stated that'the scheme would be commenced when the permits and licences were granted. Ho also announced that the society's present premises in Wellington' Would be considerably extended, and that new premises would be built iin Gisborne on a site in the main street. These developments were necessary to provide for the needs of the society's expanding business in New Zealand. The proposed building scheme in 'Auckland is to replace the society's present premises at the corner of Queen and Victoria Streets and also to include the adjoining sites occupied by T. Peacock and Son in Queen Street, and the Standard Insurance Company, in Victoria Street, which are the property* of the society.

Difficulties over the scheme arose eome weeks ago when it was learned that licences would not be forthcoming .to import Australian stone of a class also used in the society's premises in .Wellington and which would be needed in order to conform with the general arrangement in the proposed extensions there'. Since then, the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, has announced that it is not intended to permit the importation of steel except for essential construction. No time limit during which this partial embargo will operate has been fixed by the Government.