INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2942, 30 November 1916, Page 8

INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS

i ANNUAL" CONFERENCE'. The annual meeting of the Council of the New Zealand Institute of Architects was held yesterday in the Accountants' Chambers. Tho president (Mr. W. A. dimming) was in the chair. The report of the committee -mentioned that at least forty members of tho institute were serving with the Forces, in .addition to assistants and students.. An arrangement had boon made botween the council and tho Defence Department by which student members serving with the Forces would be allowed, if they so desired, to.take thoir discharge in England, subject to the consent of the General Officer Commanding. This arrangement would give some students an opportunity to study in England before returning to New Zealand. The council urged members to make constant use of the letters indicating membership, in order that the general public might be made awaro of the very important difference between "registered" and "unregistered" men. The annual reports of the Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland- branches wcro- laid before the council and considered. They recorded a generally satisfactory condition of affairs. Tho president-, in the courso of his address, stated that tho principal matters engaging the attention of tho council during the year had been the conduct of competitions and alleged breaches of tho code of ethics. The Institute would continue to urge that tho Government should submit to competition, among registered architects the designs of public buildings estimated to exceed £5000 in cost. Tho work of tho branches had proceeded smoothly during tho year. The war had curtailed building operations to a very large extent, and members had suffered accordingly. But the New Zealand architects had not been affected as severely as their brethren in the United Kingdom, whore the Government had been required to eomo to tho assistance of a large body of architects who had been reduced to serious straits. In conclusion the president thanked meiribers for their support during the year. The attitude of the Government with regard to the plans of public buildings was discussed at length. A letter was received from the Minister of Public Works stating that the Government could not accept the council's suggestion that the plans for a new post office at Duncdin should be made competitive. The plans wcro already finished. It was decided, on tho motion of Mr. S. Hurst-Soager (Canterbury): "That the letter be received, and that tho conference express its regret that tho Government had not seen its way to make the plans competitive; and that this motion be forwarded to the Prime Minister." The Cause of, Fires. A letter from the Otago and Southland Fire Underwriters' Association to the Otago branch of the Institute was' brought under tho notice of the council. "Frequently tho cause of fire is not apparent," wrote the association, "though it is known that in many cases lires have originated in the vicinity of the hot-water circulator, but since the. brigade' has been enabled, through the'use of motor-engines, to get to tho scene of a lire very quickly, very strong evidence has been scoured that tho circulator \or pipes being in contact with .wood has been tho cause of outbreaks of fires, and it is desirable in the interests of all that as much publicity as possible should he given to this." Members of tho council said they were not prepared to accept the statement. A pipe conveying hot water could not start a lire evoii if it camo into contact with' wood. The hot-water circulators were always near the chimneys, and it seemed probable that badly-built chimneys accounted for many fires. Mr. Hurst-S'eager said that he knew of no body of workers who were as negligent as bricklayers. His own experience as an architect had convinced him that bricklayers often left holes between bricks to faulty use of convent, and if such holes were not detected before the completion of the building they might allow sparks to rench tho woodwork. Tho lotter was referred to the executive committee for consideration and reply. ■ ' New Council. It was announced that tho new council, which would meet on tho following morning, contained tho following members:—All past presidents, Messrs. G. W. Allsop (Auckland), A. Lawrence (Wellington), W. A. P. i Clarkson (Canterbury), 6. W. Gough (Otago), C. J. Brodrick (Southland), | W. A. dimming, Ashley Hunter, J. W. Warren (Auckland), W. Crichton, J. ,W. Dawson, W- Feilding (Wellington), S. Hurst-Seagcr, G. A. J. Hart, J. G. Collins (Christchurch), E. W. Waldon, H. Mandeno (Otago), and C. 11. Roberts (Southland).