PLUMBING PROBLEMS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 77, Issue 6558, 27 August 1948, Page 6

PLUMBING PROBLEMS

NEW CONTROL ORDER “ABSOLUTELY USELESS” , Householders whose rooftops, guttering and down-pipes have longstanding leaks will find little to console them in Building Control Notice, No 26, which has just been released. Copper and aluminium sheets may now be used for a list of specific plumbing jobs—but the catch is that these materials may become almost as scarce as -corrogated iron. When it rains in Wellington, plumbers start thinking about disconnecting the telephone and spending the day in the country. They have some harsh things to say about the shortage of corrugated iron. In fact, the iron has entered their souls. The latest control order allows the use of aluminium and copper sheets for a wide range of work, including repair and renewal of existing eaves, gutters, or rain-water downpipes, as well as their provision in new dwellings. Copper and aluminium may also be used to make hot water cylinder and washing copper casings. Wading with- some impatience through the 22 clauses of the latest order, most of which begin with the phrase., “except with the precedent consent of the Building Controller, no person shall . . . one of the city’s leading plumbers complained that, to a large extent, control of most plumbing materials was absolutely useless. The lifting of control of copper had meant that firms were buying up what supplies there were to hoard it for future use. Soon, he thought, there would be a shortage again, and a plumber who suddenly wanted a sheet of copper for an urgent job would be unable to get it. Control would have to be introduced again, but there would be nothing left to control.

Plumbers complain that supplies of galvanised iron are from time to time available overseas; but often import licences cannot be obtained to secure them. The case is beingquoted of an importing association of trades people receiving a guarantee of a supply of 1000 tons of iron a month from the works—but an application for an import licence was not approved. Aluminium has been used by many plumbers for repair or renewal work for about the last three months. But it is expensive and unsatisfactory for some jobs. There have been experiments also with aluminium roofs on houses.

“These control regulations look good on paper until the general public finds . out that they are often evaded, and that the only real solution to our difficulties is the continuity of supply of the materials we need,” was a plumbing merchant’s last word on the subject.