BUILDING WORK IN WELLINGTON

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 196, 17 May 1944, Page 5

BUILDING WORK IN WELLINGTON

City Engineer’s Report NEED OF SLUM CLEARANCE

LEGISLATION

A slight improvement in residential building construction in 1) cllington during the year ended March 31 lust, compared with the previous 12 months, is noted by the. city engineer. Mr. K. Id. Luke, iu bis annual report, on building 'in the city, but it was still at a very low figure, lie added, compared with the requirements to meet the normal growth of the city- . Mr. Luke said the council bad adopted certain new building by-laws calculated greatly to improve the housing conditions, but till tlie Government brought down its slum clearance legislation lie could not see any great development, in industrial ■building or apartment building in the city. Slum clearance legislation was essential to enable the council Io provide adequate ureas for tbc growth of iiulusli.v and housing that must follow in the post-war PC The total value.of buildings for which permits had been issued during the year under review was £038.261, as compared willi £.230,650 the inevious year. It is notable that of this total Ii'JMM was expended in the Newtown area, ot which sum £174,9-5 was for alterations and additions to the Wellington HospitalThe next largest sums were £lB-1,14 6 iu the Te Aro district, and £u9,00l iu th. Lambion area.' For the suburban areas of the citv, Karori topped the list, with buildings to the value of ±d4,44L Ihe next in order were Miraniar. *34,849, Kilbirnie, £18,496; Island Bay. *«■- 001; Hataitai. £11,002; Rhandallah, £8625. During the year 62 private dwellings, were ereeled, together with three blocks of flats, 16 conversions into flats, ancl/( additional dwelling units. The dwelling units demolished during the year numbered IL Houses erected by tbe Government numbered S7._ including iu houses and 12 dwelling units (in flats). “I have to advise,” said- the engineer, “that little or no work has been carried out during the year in connexion with the several hotels reported upon some time ago. With regard to certain hotels the delay has been due to shortage or labour, and material, and T"’ eKS ’ ,r f‘oj?> t work following the earthquakes of I am of the opinion that it may be necpssarv to use the powers under part of the' new by-law to bring the condition of safety with respect to lire in the hotels affected up to a reasonable stan(lll l*(l Tlie report states that the work of repairing damage caused by earthquake was still proceeding satisfactorily considering the building difficulties. In a few cases it might be necessary to take action under the Earthquake Damage hmorgency Regulations, 1942. against owners of properties who had jailed to comply with the notices of requisition served under the regulations.