SHOULD BUILD NOW

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 39, 16 February 1933, Page 10

SHOULD BUILD NOW

WHEN .COSTS ARE LOW

ARCHITECT'S PLEA

"When one knows that the finest brains in the world today recognise the almost hopeless tasks with -which they are faced, you will, I hope, sympathise with me in,my failure to suggest any r practical remedy towards assisting the profession in this. Dominion,'.' 'remarked1 Mr. H. Mandeno, Dunedin, during the course of his presidential address to last night's meeting of the annual general meeting of the; New Zealand Institute of Architects. . • .;. "In times like the present," he went on to say, "it is only too apparent to every, one of us that-our profession must suffer' severely. Whether it has not suffered unreasonably is to my mind open to serious doubts.' Is it economically sound at a - time like this to practically shut down one of our chief industries?.'. You hear on all sides that, production costs must" be reduced in order, to compete in world markets. In some cases this- may be attainod-in some degree by improvements to the factories. Better housing is also very desirable in some parts, and_with low building costs and money available in the country such projects seem to me worthy of careful inquiry. "The ..Government building subsidy has assisted to a [.limited extent in lessening unemployment;': the scheme may be open to criticism, but undoubtedly such works as have been carried out under this scheme are economically sounder than using " all the money available under the unemployment tax in non essential works. Undoubtedly, there has been public extravagance and" reckless expenditure in the past, but there can also be the other extreme and I feel that there is a duty in undertaking essential works at a time when building costs are low and work is so badly needed. Where building programmes arc under roviow and finance is possible, surely this is the time to undertake work thereby obtaining the benefit of low costs and also materially assisting the comnftinity." ■'■''■',