NEED FOR STANDARD BUILDING LAWS IS EMPHASISED

Grey River Argus, 15 April 1948, Page 5

NEED FOR STANDARD BUILDING LAWS IS EMPHASISED

Effect of Alterations at Ballantyne’s P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, April 14 There was an urgent need lor the , universal adoption throughout New Zealand of a standard code of building by-laws, covering not only the . construction of new buildings, but also the adaptation of the principles of such codes to existing buildings, said Mr Victor Robert John Hearn, architect in the Public Works Department, Christchurch, when he gave evidence this afternoon before the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Ballantvne’s fire on November 18.

With the completion of the New Zealand standard institute's code of building by-laws, a complete unified by-law would be available Mr Hean said.

“In my opinion, steps should be taken to ensure that all local bodies are bound to adopt the standard code in lieu of their local by-laws as to buildings and fire prevention.” he added. Referring to existing buildings Mr Hearn said tne onus should be on the owner to make his buildings conform to modern standards of human safety. If complete compliance was impossible, provision should be made for the relaxation of the strict terms of the building code only on condition that a sprinkler or similar fire prevention system was installed. If non-compliance was caused hjNj shortage of steel, or other materials, the position of sub-standard buildings should be reviewed from year to year as the supply position changed he added. OPEN DISPLAY SPACES The latest trend in retail and departmental stores was to have large open spaces for display, and large interior staircases ana escalators, giving a commanding view of Jhe interior displays. There were many examples of shops built forty to fifty years ago —Ballantyne’s was one— which were remodelled to the detriment of the original buildings. "An attempt to modernise old store buildings can well lead to the sacrificing of fire safety to effective display and the apparent convenience of the customer,” he continued. Mr Hean said that the chief risks in Ballantyne’s were the thoroughly seasoned, bone-dry timber floors, timber partitions, and ceilings, dry match ling, numerous wood fibre boards, the lack of firebreaks in the roofs and open windows. NO PERMITS FOR WOFK A list of building permits issued by the Christchurch City Council since 1903, for work at Ballantyne’s was produced by witness who said that it would appear that considerable work was done without written authority, in particular, several of the large openings between the buildings. When the chairman, Sir Harold Johnston asked Mr T. P. Cleary (counsel for Ballantyne’s) whether he agreed with the list of permits, Mr Cleary replied that there were certain cases m which the firm could not credit that a ‘permit was not granted,' but, in some others it was agreed that no permits had been issued.

Percv Claude Cornish, a P.W.D. architect said that there was no suggestion that any local authority had told Ballantynes that the openings in their building should have been protected, though they could have been protected. The proper local authority should have power to require such protection. Such power was long; overdue. Effective fire retardant qualities possessed bv the original group of Ballantynes buildings were destroyed bv the cutting of openings, some of them very large, to provide communication after the buildings came under the one control. “With the exception of a few parts the whole of the buildings, covering an area of more than 50,000 square feet was lad open to the unrestricted spread of fire and smoke,” said Mr Cornish, who gave a rough estimate to Mr G. G. Watson (for the- Crown) that the buildings could have been protected against the spread of fire at a cost of £25,000.