INCREASED FEES

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 92, 15 October 1940, Page 7

INCREASED FEES

PROTEST BY HUTT BUILDERS

The adoption of the New Zealand standard bylaw in regard to buildings having increased building fees, the Hutt Valley branch of the Builders' and Contractors' Union of Employers has vigorously protested to the Lower Hutt Borough Council. The protest was considered by the bylaws committee, which advised the council to reaffirm the adoption of the scale.

At last night's meeting of the council, Councillor E. P. Hay defended the action of.the committee by stating that the new bylaws would: entail considerably .more inspection work. After all, although many of the . fees had doubled, the effect was not as serious as it sounded. For houses up to the value of £1000 the. old fees ranged from 5s to £2 10s, while the new. fees were from 10s to £5. A house valued at £1700 which had carried.a fee of £4 now carried one of £7. Surely it was not much to ask that a £10,000 building should pay a fee of £28, as a thorough inspection of the plans and specifications and considerable calculation had to be made to see if the bylaws were being complied with. The inspection of the building, while under erection would entail much expense.

The Mayor (Mr. J. W. Andrews) said that 13 out of the 19 large boroughs had adopted the bylaw in its entirety and one body had actually increased the fees.