Dr. Bennettasked the Minister of Public Building and Works whether he will request the National Building Agency, in giving advice about building projects in this country, to endeavour to ensure that so far as possible indigenous rather than imported materials are used with a view to assisting the balance of trade.
§ Mr. SharplesNo. The National Building Agency should be free to advise its clients on the methods of building best suited to their needs.
Dr. Bennettasked the Minister of Public Building and Works what demonstrations with regard to constructional methods are at present being carried out or planned by his Department; and whether he will arrange for some of these demonstrations to deal with methods by which more indigenous materials can be used in the construction of housing and other building projects in this country.
§ Mr. SharplesWe are demonstrating at exhibitions methods of building in bad weather, of using electricity on building sites, of employing small power-tools, and of using modern building materials such as plastics, aluminium, and V-bricks. We are also exhibiting the Ministry's Nenk method of building, which uses a light steel space frame structure. Indigenous materials are not being neglected.