BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

Otago Witness, Issue 4042, 1 September 1931, Page 23

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

PROTEST AGAINST GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS.

The Works Committee will report to the meeting of the City Council on Wednesday night as follows:—

A communication has been received from the Hastings Borough Council containing a copy of a resolution of protest against the Building Construction Bill now before Parliament, on the grounds that in the opinion of that council the provisions contained in the Bill would, if given effect to, unduly burden the owners undertaking the erection of buildings with unnecessary expense. The Bill provides, inter alia, for the payment of a special fee on each permit issued of 5s per cent, on the estimated cost of any job, in addition to our building fees, and is to be collected by us and paid over to the State. It is pointed out that on the average of the value of the buildings erected in Dunedin during the past two years the additional tax would amount to £1139. Another direction in which it is probable that the cost of building will be increased is the additional supervision that is contemplated by this Bill. For certain classes of buildings that are to be defined by bylaw or regulation it is mandatory on the builder to appoint a clerk of works, to the approval of the local authority or the Minister, and the responsibility for the compliance with the by-law rests with that official. He is to be paid by the •owner of the building. A model set of bylaws is contemplated, and all building by-laws of local authorities are to be approved by the Minister. The new revenue is to be used by the State in respect of not more than onehalf of it in the administration of the Act, and the balance is to cover the expenses of the Department of Scientific and . Industrial Research with a view to the improvement of building design in relation to earthquake resistance. Your committee is of the opinion that the protest against the passing of this Bill should be supported, and begs to recommend accordingly, and that the local members of Parliament be advised to this effect.