BUILDING RESTRICTIONS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16840, 11 September 1920, Page 2

BUILDING RESTRICTIONS.

300 APPLICATIONS REFUSED. IMPORTED CEMENT FREE. BY TBLEGBAPH. —OWN COBHEBPONnENT. WELLINGTON, Sept. 10. Since Sie commencement of the operation of the regulations restricting building, some 980 applications for permits to erect buildings other than dwellings or essential farm buildings have been dealt with by the Board of Trade, and of this number approximately 300 applications have been declined on account of inadequate supplies of material. The buildings for which permits have been declined include amusement halls, racecourse buildings, churches, and shops and offices. The board has now found it possible to complete a census of timber, bncks, and cement available and this shows it is not possible to extend the basis upon which applications have been dealt, with. That is to say, the board must continue to decline to grant permits for buildings of the classes mentioned above. In the case of buildings proposed to be erected in concrete, favourable consideration has been granted in the case of those not considered on th« undertaking by the bunders tear no New Zealand cement will bo used in its construction. Arrangements have b e en made by a number,of persons for importations 1 of cement and the Government has agreed to a remission of duty on such importations. As it was expected that there was a probability of the position regarding supplies, particularly of cement, showing an improvement within a limited time, a number cf applications have been held over for a space cf three moriwis. Present indications do not, however, justify the opinion that the expected improvement will materialise. NO UNNECESSARY WORK. , POLICY OF GOVERNMENT. WELLINGTON, Sept. 10. A general policy of avoiding building for the Government during the present shortage of labour and materials lias been mentioned several: times of late by the Prime Minister. At the instance of the Minister of Public Works, Cabinet lias decided upon an extension of this .policy. No further alteration or renovation, of public build-, ings will be undertaken by the department, save in cases of absolute necessity, so that labour and material may not be diverted from the provision of housing accommodation at this period of necessity. Tho Public Works Engineer has been instructed that this policy must ho rigidly adhered to until the position changes for tho better. The Prime Minister stated in connection with this matter that he believed that jin improvement in the housing position had taken place in the last three months. There was still a considerable shortage, but he did not think that the position was quite so bad as It had been.