BUILDING DISPUTE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1022, 12 July 1930, Page 6

BUILDING DISPUTE

NO PERMIT GIVEN PROSECUTION BY COUNCIL From Our Own Correspondent TE AROHA, Friday. Suggestions that factional strife between leading Te Aroha citizens was at the bottom of a charge of having erected a building without a permit, brought by the town clerk, F. W. Wild (Mr. G. Gilchrist) against G. Burmester, architect, and L. G. Watson, builder, of Auckland, w r ere freely made by opposing counsel during the hearing. After a sitting on Thursday lasting five hours, the case was adjourned uirtil today. The defendants were jointly charged with commencing the erection of a new concrete block, now nearly completed, without obtaining a permit. Mr. Gilchrist said the contractor had paid certain fees after commencing the work, when he was told plainly by the town clerk that a permit was necessary. The plans were said to be inadequate and he was told that a more intelligible set would be required. This the architect had failed to provide. The borough building inspector had complained to the council, whereupon Watson had written to a newspaper in terms insulting to the inspector. The latter had allowed the building to proceed on the understanding that the architect would provide plans. Unfortunately there was much bitterness between the council and certain other groups in the town. The council had power to order the demolition of any building erected without a permit, even if it had been completed. Mr. Arthur stoutly defended both the architect and the builder, stating that the inspector had complimented the latter on his work and that the town clerk had admitted that the council was a little lax in some ways. The council, in supplying fnaterials for the job, had connived at the offence. The prosecution was the result of bickering and strife between certain leading citizens. The architect should not be charged, as he was not in charge of the work.

The magistrate, Mr. F. W. Platts, upheld this latter contention and dismissed the charge the architect.

A general denial of the evidence by the town clerk and the inspector was given by Taylor and Byrmester when the case resumed this morning and the magistrate was asked to dismiss the case as trivial. Decision was reserved.