Building Industry “Lacks Efficiency”

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31094, 24 June 1966, Page 3

Building Industry “Lacks Efficiency”

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 23. The efficiency of New Zealand’s building and construction industry compares unfavourably with other countries because of the lack of application of modern building and management techniques, according to the National Research Advisory Council.

In its annual report tabled In Parliament today the council recommended to the Government that building research units receive an additional £26,000 in the coming year and £20,000 a year in each of the succeeding three years.

“The predominant cause of New Zealand’s reputation for slow and costly building is the lack of application of modern building and management techniques which, in turn, can be attributed to the absence of any organisation to sponsor actively the use of these methods," said the report. “Research and Information services for the building and construction industry in New Zealand are scattered and lack co-ordination.” The council suggested the most fruitful field for building research, construction management, was probably the most urgent—and the most likely to yield the greatest returns from the minimum expenditure. “The fact that the building industry suffers chronic

shortages of resources—especially human resources—stresses the need for improved management methods so that its resources may be used fully and efficiently.”