JERRY-BUILDING.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 19, 17 October 1907, Page 5

JERRY-BUILDING.

.. ■ Sir,—l.have read-with interest the remarks in Monday's Dominion on tlio abovo question, and, as a builder bf wide cxporienco, perriiit me to state a few facts, lliere can be .no doubt about the sappy' nature of much of the timber used in cottagcs s here.. It is evident that it is cut from saplings, and it is * scandalous 1 pity to mill such hush. Ordinary; building timber -is, now.' all sap of .red pine; .What, is badly wanted' is for. the Government-to removo the duties now levied on imported timber. This would help to preserve the. remaining portion of our standing timber. Aix 4i Oregon stud would'bo much better than ids 2'sap of red pino. I liavo used 4 x 1| Oregon studs in score 3 of houses in Melbourne. Hut see the absurdity of our. by-laws in stipulating the sixes, of tho.timber without-stating tho quality;-or kind. ; Heart of .'red pine is a fine framing timber, but ngaiii much of this is very valuable, and. will •become still-morb valuable for cabinet-making and for joinery, itc.-. .Totara is a splendid timber in'its place,' but shnmo to tho aut-' . horitiesl it is being used for telcgraoh'posts and bridges, and it is utterly unlit fpr.Sucli ..purposes, being very brittle. I know of several cases where lives havo. been Ibcfc" .through its use. It is a matter of urgc-ifc .nccess/fcy that the duty should be removed from Imported timber, and .■■moreover, why not givo tho Building Inspector power to use his own discretion in seeing'that ; timber is properly seasonod and to see that places are* mado secure against the searching squalls wk:ch characterise tho place? A3 for compelling pooplo' to have an arehitcet, it is absurd. Many- a man takes a -hobby in designing and building his own house, and ho has a perfect right to do .it. Many of the self-styled architects are men of very limited esperifneo in. practice. The euro for jerry building is not to bo. found in any such drastic liussialiko proposal..' Tho tendency to liccnso everything is growing to an alarming extent, and wo may, yet learn.that tho euro, for .many of oiir ills is not by moro restriction but by ronioving many 'of the existing laws and restrictions.—l am,' etc., .. E. STEVENSON.. Wellington,. October 13. ;