Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, MAY 24, 1943. MAKING BUILDINGS SAFE.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 May 1943, Page 2

Wairarapa Times-Age MONDAY, MAY 24, 1943. MAKING BUILDINGS SAFE.

gOME timely observations on the subject of bringing buildings up to earthquake resisting standards were made by the Mayor (Mr T. Jordan) at a recent meeting of the Masterton Borough Council. The questions involved—highly important as they are, not only from the standpoint of economy but from that of safety—emphatically are of a kind on which public opinion should make itself felt.

Probably there will be very wide agreement with Mr Jordan’s statement that: “The safety of the public and of the people who live and work in the buildings is the first- consideiation.” To this it may be added that available evidence goes to show that a great deal may be done to reduce damage to buildings, and still more to reduce risks to lite and limb, resulting from earthquakes. In what Air Jordan justly described as a valuable memorandum issued by the New Zealand Institute .of Architects —a “Report on Proposals of Reconstruction in Earthquake Danger Zones”—the final conclusion reached and stated is that: —

Death and destruction are not caused by the motion of the earth-waves, but by falling masonry and collapsing structures. Buildings can (be) and are being built that will resist these waves.

The indicated weight of scientific opinion plainly is that probable earthquake risks in this country may be reduced to compaiatively small proportions, but only, and the reservation is of commanding importance, by the adoption and enforcement 01. building standards to which only a very limited approach has yet been made in all but a very few ol our cities and towns.

On the merits of the case, there should be no difficulty in agreeing that the only policy consistent with a due regard loi humanity, for common sense and even for ultimate economy is that of bringing all buildings as speedily as possible up to the standards which will reduce earthquake risks to a minimum. In the comprehensive action that is needed, heed should be given, not only to the strength of large and important buddings, but to such details as the type of cottage chimney that will best resist damage, or if it is damaged, may most conveniently be repaired or replaced.

Obviously there can be no question in time of war of undertaking the comprehensive programme of repair, improvement and replacement of buildings that is needed —taking account of public safety and other factors —to establish reasonably high standards of earthquake resistance. Nothing less should be regarded as satisfactory, however, than the shaping of a programme of this kind, to be carried out as soon and as rapidly as circumstances permit. A beginning, when it is possible, should be made, as the Institute ol: Architects recommends, in those areas in which the need for an improvement in building standards has been demonstrated most clearly. There is much to be said also for the proposal of the institute that, rebuilding schemes based on the soundest town planning, engineering and architectural, principles should form part of the national post-war rehabilitation.

The conditions in which temporary repairs or construction should meantime be permitted may be a matter for, detail consideration. Certainly, however, the authorisation of work of this character should nowhere, be carried to a point at which it would impede or delay the radical improvement in building standards which manifestly ought to be enforced at the earliest opportunity.