ARCHITECTURE and BUILDING

Progress, Volume XIII, Issue 11, 1 July 1918, Page 247

ARCHITECTURE and BUILDING

Effcct of Bye-laws on Architecture The very marked effect of bye-laws on the character of architecture, is well brought out by two perspective sketches for a New York hotel, showing the results of the new regulations recently passed on the recommendations of the Heights of Buildings Commission of New York. The bye-law under which the stepped treatment shown in the second illustration has been devised, limits the height of the build-

The Proposed Solar Salt Works at Christchurch It is a bad look-out for the prospective industries in New Zealand when such a commodity as salt is ruled out by the Attorney General as being not an essential industry. Not long ago we published some details of a proposed salt works at New Brighton near Christchurch, and the project is now ready to be proceeded with. Application was of course, neces-

ing, in the district where it was proposed to erect this hotel, to twice that of the street at the street line. The height of the building, however, may be increased beyond this by setting back the upper portion so as not to project beyond a line drawn from the centre of the street and passing through the limited height at the street line. It will be seen that the ordinance for limiting the height of such a building has actually the effect of apparently increasing it, at the same time tending very much less to block up the street, and also to provide the building itself with more light and air. The skyscraper is evidently by no means to be banished from New York under these new regulations.

sary to the government for permission to spend the necessary money, but apparently the industry is not to be established in New Zealand just yet, as the Attorney General has vetoed it as not being an essential industry. We would be the last to say that money that should be noted for war purposes, should be used in any other way, but it seems to us that this country has now an opportunity that it may never have again of developing its own resources, and that the price of salt at the present time ought to be sufficient to encourage the Government to give permission to such industries as this one.

According to a correspondent in the Christchurch Press, salt is quoted at £l6 to £2O a ton against the pre-war price of £3. The correspondent pertinently remarks: —"Is it wise of the Government in these abnormal times to force the producers to pay at least four times the intrinsic value of such a necessity as salt? At least 30 per cent, of the present price can be charged to freight. I would not like to suggest how much to war profits, so why should the Government wet-blanket a local industry which would eliminate both.- Take two necessary items to the consumer, boots and bacon, each now at nearly double pre-war retail prices. Four years ago 7d. worth of salt cured a hide, it now takes 4s. worth. It used to take Is. value of salt to cure a bacon pig, now it requires about 3s. worth."