A SOUND PLEA.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20614, 15 May 1935, Page 7

A SOUND PLEA.

More Co-operation in the Building Trade. SUPPORT IN DUNEDIN. (Special to the " Star.”) DUNEDIN, This Day. The note struck by Mr S. J. Moore, the retiring president of the Canterbury Builders and Contractors’ Association, at its annual meeting when he expressed the opinion that builders should try to raise their trade to a higher standard, and should co-operate more with other related trades and with architects, has received the wholehearted approval of those engaged in the industry in Dunedin.

Local architects are particularly enthusiastic regarding the soundness of the plea, and express willingness to co-operate in any movement which will have the effect of improving the standard of building, and of eliminating unnecessary expenditure.

One architect said that co-operation was undoubtedly the keynote for a general improvement in the efficiency of the trade. He admitted that they were all more or less guilty of departing from the path of efficiency with the result that a great deal of time was lost in handling many jobs. Instead of working to approved schedule and with efficient organisation, most jobs wer.e carried through under what might be termed chaotic conditions. Lack of proper control very' often led to one sub-contractor holding up another part of the work quite unnecessarily', with consequent loss of time and increased cost. A complete change in the present sy'stem of tendering might have the effect of increasing efficiency and of giving greater satisfaction to all convemed. The suggestion that tenders for all of the various sub-contracts should be handled by architects was favourably received. It was admitted that this would considerably increase the work of the architect, but would have the effect of" giving clients a wider choice, and, at the same time, safeguard the interest of sub-contractors, who at present were at the mercy of the builder.