BUILDING BREACH

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25177, 14 April 1945, Page 5

BUILDING BREACH

USE OF HOOFING IKON REGULATIONS CRITICISED Allegations that the regulations regarding the building of houses were out of date and that great quantities of materials were going to waste because the use of the materials was not permitted were made by counsel for a builder charged with a breach of the building regulations before Mr F. H. Levien, S.M., yesterday. Mr Rosen represented the Housing Department, which brought the informations against Mrs L. M. Ferguson (Mr Hough), the owner of the house, and T. and F. M. Snow (Mr Lovegrove), the builders. Mr Rosen said that a permit had been obtained for a house to be built in Ladies' .Mile and it had been specified that composition roofing material and wooden spouting should lie used. An inspection of the building Inter showed that, contrary to the permit, iron had been used for the roof and spouting. The builders accepted full responsibility for tlie breach, said Mr Loregrove. The iron had been in their possession since 1942, and as it was becoming blackened they wished to make use of it. He suggested that the were outmoded and he understood that great quantities of similar material throughout the country were being wasted simply because the regulations would riot permit its use. "I take it that there must be some reason for conserving the iron," said the magistrate, who added that he* was concerned only with the regulations as they stood. "Ls it the practice of the department in a case such as this to order the removal of the iron from the house?", Mr Rosen: From my experience, the department has seldom exercised this right. Mr Levien: In that case, any fine I may inflict would be in the nature of a licence. If the regulations were enforced, the Court would not be asked to be a licensing authority. The owner of the property was convicted and discharged and the builder fined £5 and costs. Similar charges were brought against Mrs E. M. Grimwood, the owner, and F. G. Fort/.er, builder, in connection with a house built at Takapuna. The builder accepted full responsibility and was fined £5 and costs. The owner was co 11 v i cted and d i sch a rged.