BUILDING BYLAWS

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 73, 27 March 1934, Page 11

BUILDING BYLAWS

SAFER CONSTRUCTION

MUCH TECHNICAL DETAIL

DRAFT COMPLETED

The City Council has issued for consideration by citizens, and particularly by experts and others who willbe concerned, the'draft of the- new city building bylaws, the aim -of which is to ensure that in future air buildings in the city area -will be constructed »with a considerably greater margin of safety against earthquake shock than/is ob-. tamable', under the present building bylaws." The present bylaws, in fact, are weak in this respect. 1 It" is' anticipated . that' there will Vbe a good deal .of controversy over the •proposals, and the council, said' tho Mayor (Mr. T. C. A.; Hislop) Vill welcome leasohable suggestions or .'criticism, from persons qualified to speak. To' that end copies of the draft are being sent to the Society of Architects, the Society of .Civil.Engineers, building and cpnsthietioual organisations, and others. ... ■ -In 1931 a rcommittee-■ of experts, known, as .the Building Eegulations Committee, was set up by tho Government to go into this subject, and by the middle' of the year that ■■'committee had -"brought-""down recommendations for' a general model bylaw which it considered should bo adopted immediately by municipalities, and also suggestions as to technical details for the enforcement of the-general provisions. The committee "did not put these latter suggestions forward as anything move than; a basis from -which to build "up tKe final specifications for a wide range of: buildings, : WELLINGTON NOT WAITING-. ;. Also the committee: "recommended in a definite fashion that legislation should be; passed without delay in order that Government- and municipalities alike should possess the necessary, power to proceed^ Very little was done for the Bill brought down by the Government wus'notproceeded.with, and little further progress has been made with the consideration. ( qf technical detail.;. The Pahiatua-Woodville earthquake gave a sharp reminder; and the "Wellington City Council decided not to wait any longer for the model bylaw so earnestly r,ecommended,,.,by the, Buildiug :Begulatio'ni Committee to- the Government in June,^. 1931.V ■■■■'-: ./ -■•;"-'.?. . ■ :SALL''FYBS3 OF BUILDINGS. The proposed new; building bylaws p.re founded closely on the' 1931 recommendations, of which, the City Engineer (Mr."G, A.; 'Hart) ( hiis.'.a full knowledge from'Jiis part, as. a member of the 1931 committee, in preparing them. They coyfer.all types of buildings, from small dwellings to'the largest business blocks likely.to be erected, in the city, specify material requirements, type of foundations, .bonding,.tying of beams, roof members, partitions; cement aggregates in' different circumstances, limitations', in the ,uses of ' certain materials in regard to height of buildings" and types of etc. :

The. Bylaw, after the general preliminary' statement of intention, becomes exceedingly technical, and. some of the requirements, will require, consideration by specially''qualified eiperts, not .only in the. preparation of the • plans and specifications, for submission to the. 'CityrEngjneer ?s. office, but" .also an - that office.before a decision can be given as't.o whether a perniit shall be issued. ■Pajjieularly will this .be ' .■ so ..of the larger ; i-eiuforced-ebnerete.' buildings, "but," as a ma;tter of^faet, such, close figuring work is. done invariably in the .^desfgn and checking of large structures, for building on a big scale has.-become a;jb.B, for the engineer^ working in conjunction with the architect.

The bylaw will come before the cil for further1 consideration in about .amontt^s time, v '~: : , -■■•.-..'• - .■.;