CONTROL OF BUILDING

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 150, 21 March 1921, Page 4

CONTROL OF BUILDING

THE REGULATIONS SUSPENDED MINISTER’S EXPLANATION The regulations issued by the Government in June of last year to control building operations and the distribution of materials have been suspended, lu announcing the suspension, the Minister of Industries and Commerce (the Hon. IT P. Lee) made the following statement: "These regulations were issued at a time when the demand for building materials was very much in excess of the available supplies, and their object was to concentrate supplies on t-he more essential buildings, especially dwellings. The,position, so far as supplies are concerned, has improved of late, and it is considered that the continuing jn operation of the regulations is, for the present, unnecessary. As it is possible that the conditions to-day of supply and demand may not continue indefinitely, it has been decided that the regulations shall in the meantime be allowed to stand, but that their operation shall merely to suspended, this suspension to take effect immediately. Until further advice, it. will not to necessary for persons proposing to erect buildings, etc., to obtain permits from the Board of Trade, but, of course, this decision will not affect the operation of the bv-laws of any local authorities relating to the necessity for obtaining permits before proceeding with works.

"A main feature of the regulations was that traders in supplies of cement, bricks and timber were subject to certain restrictions, ‘and could provide such supplies only when a permit had been issued. The necessity for a permit is now waived, and orders for the materials mentioned may ba supplied at the discretion of the various distributors without restriction. In many cases permits have been issued by the board foy certain works, subject to imported cement, timber, etc, being used. The effect of the suspension of the regulations will ba to terminate the operation of all these permits, and to relieve all persons of the necessity for complying with any such conditions “In addition to tho control of building operations, the regulations also vested in the Board of Trade power to govern the distribution of bricks, cement, and timber. This control of distribution was provided malinly in connection with cement, and in most districts committees were set up to make the allocation of all cement arriving in their respective districts. These committees are now being disbanded in all districts with the exception of Wellington, where it is conaidere'd necessary that the control shall apply to two shipments of cement to arrive within the next couple of weeks. The position with respect to cement has been very considerably eased by fh'e arrival of large shipments from overseas. "The success that has attended the operation of the regulations lias been largely due to the assistance rendered by the local authorities and by advisory committees the members of which gave their services gratuitously, and to each and all of whom the Government desires to extend its appreciation of their work.”