BUILDING LEGISLATION

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 57, 29 October 1931, Page 3

BUILDING LEGISLATION

("Post" Special Commissioner)

ENDE'AVOUR TO MEET LOCAL BODY OBJECTIONS TO BILL COMMITTEE STAGE DEFERRED

WELLINGTON, Wednesday. An assurance that the Government would endeavour to meet certain objections raised against the Building . Construction Bill was made in the House of Representatives to-day by the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. G. W. Forbes. During the second reading debate last week the duties and rights of local bodies under the Bill were criticised by several members, who eontended that local authorities should ■ have more scope in the administration of the regulations. Mr. Forbes said that there had been a request from several members that wooden buildings be excluded from the provisions of the Bill. It was the intention that wooden buildings in rural areas should be excluded and that the Bill should apply more particularly to congested areas, where there was risk and danger involved. Insurance companies welcomed the measure, Mr. Forbes continued, particularly those provisions referring to the construction of chimneys. A great number of fires were caused by defective chimneys and the Government intended to have chimneys properly constructed and designed. The purpose of the Bill was to minimise risks in future."

Parliament would be lacking in its duty if it did not make an effort to prevent a recurrence of the loss of life and property, whieh had occurred in Hawke's Bay, Mr. Forbes said- He intended to look into the objections whieh had been raised in an endeavour to meet them as it was hoped that the provisions of the Bill would work as smoothly as possible. To permit of the investigation of the points of contention, the committee stage of the Bill was deferred.