BRAIN-SUCKERS BEWARE!

NZ Truth, Issue 137, 1 February 1908, Page 6

BRAIN-SUCKERS BEWARE !

A Plant About Purloined Plans. ■ There is a dissonant whisper among a certain circle of architects and builders, or both, ... m Christchurch, that everything isn't as it should be m connection with the Ohristchurch Council Chambers, or the work performed therein. As is, of course, well-known, a large number of building permits are applied for m the course of the year, and plans are deposited at the Council office lor approval. The City Surveyor, it is understood, has the right to say that they are all right, and he generally does his work m a most expeditious manner ; of course, slight . delays are occasioned now and again if he happens to he absent ; and ' then there are plans and questions of • import which are reserved for tfie consideration of the Building Committee of the Council. That's all right, but what is all wrong is that there is said to be a nice little j- traffic done m some of the plans submitted by some officer or office dog m that building. There are some peoplft m the community— and out of it— wjbo are about to build and who may be amenable to reason, it is alleged that plans deposited for approval have been taken away from the office »anil° copied, or that tracings •ha. vs. keen wade by- same one or oth-

er and disposed of. If so, that is just the sort of little game that ■would keep a person m pocket money. If a plan of an attractive nature is submitted it may not be copied m its entirety, but only that portion of it that takes the prospective owner's or builder's eye. Now, . THAT IS DOW;NRIGHrr THEFT, and there appears to be a good deal of justification for the yarn that is going about ampng those most concerned. It is a serious allegation to make, and . will' no doubt be stoutly and strenupusly refuted by those who are employed by the Christchurch City Council. But certain it is that the latest case brought under notice relates to a young lady *who visited certain friends the other, night, and having occasion to go into another room for an article she knew was there, she unexpectedly came across two men, one of whom she knew, poring over the plan of a house which she at once recognised as her father's and which she knew perfectly' wel!( had been sent to the Council Chambers that day* Now, this sort' of thing, if true, cannot really be. tolerated. It may not be true that the work of men's brains is stolen with impunity m this brazen manner, hut if the above statement can be believed (and "Truth's" correspondent has met the owner of those plans) ; and if there is ample foundatievna for the rumors that one occa> sionally hears, there should be som* inquiry instituted, and the matter put a stop to without any further delay. These few observations may no doubt surprise not a few timber and brick people, but the matter is easy of achievement.- not only m dhristchurch, but m other parts of the Dominion.