ROOF MATERIAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25029, 20 October 1944, Page 6

ROOF MATERIAL

LOW STOCKS OF IRON MINISTER'S EXPLANATION (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Thursday Commenting tonight on allegations made by Mr C. S. Thomas in the Christchurch Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, Mr Nordmeyer, speaking on behalf of the Minister of Supply and Munitions, Mr Sullivan, said New Zealand's pre-war usage of galvanised iron was approximately 21,000 tons a year, hut during the past three and a-half years a total of only 20,000 tons had been received into New Zealand. Of this quantity, approximately 17,500 tons had been issued, with the result stocks today totalled approximately 2400 tons only. No Immediate Relief The Minister stated that a revfew which had recently been completed indicated that the Dominion could not anticipate any general relief for several months, but that shipments which recently arrived would enable a small allocation of plain galvanised iron to be made to spouting and downpipe manufacturers to satisfy most essential demands for repair work. This allocation would be made in the near future and accordingly it would be appropriate for applications for release of spouting and downpipe for urgent repair work to bo submitted immediately through the usual merchant channels to district building controllers. With reference to Mr Thomas' statements that Australia could supply New Zealand with as much galvanised iron as the Dominion required, the Minister stated that during tho past year Australia bad been able to supply only approximately two-fifths of the quantity for which orders had been placed, and the latest information from Australia carried no suggestion that the position would improve in the immediate future. Only Materials Available Mr Nordmeyer said that clay and concrete roofing tiles, bituminous fabric roofing and asbestos cement roofing were the only materials available at present for new constructional works. Asbestos cement roofing, which was the subject of comment by Mr Thomas, had been extensively used in the Dominion. Before the war, in 1939, the retail price of standard corrugated asbestos cement roofing in Christchurch was 5 2-9 d per square foot, including sale.s tax. At that time 24-gauge galvanised corrugated iron was approximately 4Jd per square foot and galvanised corrugated iron was 4id per square foot. At present standard corrugated asbestos cement sheets were sold retail at 5 7-9 d per square foot, including sales tax, compared with 7£d per square foot for 24-gauge galvanised corrugated iron and 6d per square foot for 26-gauge. The Minister said that when it was considered that wooden sarking was usually fixed under a galvanised corrugated iron roof and that this was not required under an asbestos cement roof, also that galvanised iron required periodical painting, it was obvious the cost of asbestos cement roofing compared favourably with iron at present prices. QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT EFFECT OF REGULATIONS (S.R.) WELLINGTON, Thursday "Is it a fact that regulations are forcing builders to use fibrolite, a product of Dominion Industries. Ltd.. of which the Commissioner of Works, Mr J. Fletcher, is the principal shareholder?" asked Mr H. T. Morton (Opi position-*-Waitemata) in notice of a question to tho Minister of Supply in the House of Representatives today. He asked if the Minister's attention had been drawn to a report from it Christchurch which stated to at throe ; builders were fined for using galvanised iron for roofing. In view of the serious situation Mr ■ Morton asked if the Minister would investigate the position of roofing materials manufactured in New Zealand and the question of the importation of roofing and flat iron so essential to the building industry. POWER SUPPLY DISPUTE BOARD AND GOVERNMENT (0.C.) D.AR&AVILLE, Thursday Further progress has been made in the dispute over the supply of electricity to Wilson's Portland Cement Company by the North Auckland Power Board. The company was a customer of the board for two years under a contract worth considerably over £IOOO a year, but in 1942 the Government stepped in and supplied the company direct without compensation to tho board. A conference was held in Wellington vesterdav between the Prime Minister, Mr Eraser, tho Minister of Works. Mr Semple, the chief electrical engineer, and Messrs T. C. Webb. A. ,T. Murdoch and S. W. Smith. M.P.'s. "The Prime Minister gave us a sympathetic hearing," said Mr Webb after the conference, "and intimated that the power board should be allowed to resume the supply of power to the company if some satisfactory arrangement regarding the back load from the Wairua Falls can be devised. It was, therefore. left to me. with the assistance of the board's engineer. Mr T. R. Overton. to confer with,the chief electrical engineer." HIGH SCOUT AWARD TWO BOYS SUCCESSFUL The presentation of the bushman's thong, tho highest award in scouting, was made to two members of the Edendale and Balmoral Groups at a ceremony in the Capitol Theatre. Balmoral, last night, when the Balmoral Group held its annual picture evening. The successful scouts were Reginald Boyle ( Balmoral) and Douglas Cantley (Edendale). In making the award Mr J. C. A. Ralph, district commissioner, said there were no other boys in the scout movement in Auckland now Avearine; the thong. It was the hardest award to win in the scouting movement and the successful boys had to work for months and meet some hard tests before they qualified.