AN ARCHITECT’S APPLICATION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3997, 2 August 1915, Page 6

AN ARCHITECT’S APPLICATION.

INSTITUTE’S “SI i ABBY I) EFENCE.” STRONG COMMENTS BY HIS HONOR. [Press Association Telegram.) OHHr.STCtri'K( H, July JO. An important ease affecting urchi-tee-ts who carry out contracts themselves bv day labor came before Mr J ustice Heimistou in banco, to-day on the bearing'* -of the application by Hugh Robinson, of Hamilton, directing the Board of the New Zealand Institute of Architects to register Jim. Mr Beswick appeared for the Board of the New Zealand Institute of Architects and Mr .Salter for the appliean t. Mr Beswick raised the preliminary point that the. appeal was not laid i within the period prescribed by the Statute —fourteen days after the final ; determination. Mr Salter contended that final determination was on March Sth, 1910, when, after being asked to reconsider its decision, communicated on October i 9th, 1914, the Board wrote that it had i nothing to add to its letter of October. ' It was stated that the application had been refused because applicant was in partnership with a builder, and reference was made to Mr Justice Chap- ' man’s decision in Reaper v. The New Zealand Institute of Architects, in which. His Honor held that Reaper had simply added the trade of building contractor to that of architect. Mr Salter cited ca-ses on the question of compliance with the Statutory j requirements as to the time, i His Honor expressed the opinion j that the Institute's defence was exceedingly shabby. It had taken an : entirely unsound objection to appli- ; cant, judging from the papers eoni nected with the case. If applicant had been allowed to appeal, it seemed clear chat he would have succeeded. It was admitted that the decision of ! the Institute in the matter was unsound. “It is an exceedingly shabby transaction,” His Honor continued. “You would have thought people in their position, exercising a public duty, and a body which is dealing with the rights of parties, would have been only too glad to have seen their way to allow this.’* Mr Beswick said lie only appeared in the matter as instructed by another firm and desired to say that he entirely shared His Honor’s views in tlio matter. He (counsel) had no option. His Honor: ‘.‘All I can say is that it is an exceedingly shrubby proceeding and so shabby that it ought to be rectified.” Mr Beswick said, that he would communicate His Honor’s opinions to his (counsel’s) principals. Mr Salter submitted that the question was: Has the Board really judicially considered, the matter? His Honor said that there might be some grounds as suggested by counsel for taking steps to set aside the Board’ decision. His Honor ordered the matter to stand over.