Building
p. 80 · Read in the full issue
Hurricane Shows Up Shoddy Building
Prom Our Own Correspondent
Suva, Mar. 16.
POST-MORTEMS into a number of modern houses, built in various parts of Suva since the war, and mostly at inflated prices, have revealed a considerable amount of slipshod work which obviously had no chance of withstanding a major hurricane.
There are innumerable building regulations in force, but, as it has previously been shown in Fiji, re gulations are of no use if they are not rigidly enforced.
In some cases the owners of wrecked houses are facing crippling losses as the result of inferior materials and shoddy work by pre viously reputable builders.
It was reported in Sydney in April that Kerema Rubber, Ltd., of Papua expects to show an earning rate of 33 per cent, on its present capital of £73,000; and the 5/- shares in con sequence are heavily in demand. The Co. has an 89 years lease over 5,000 acres; 1,350 acres are planted out in rubber; and nearly all will be bearing before the end of next year.