EARTHQUAKES AND BUILDINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 36, 12 February 1931, Page 6

EARTHQUAKES AND BUILDINGS.

It is satisfactory to learn from the Prime Minister that ' the Government, intends to investigate tile connection between building design arid damage by earthquake, and . to introduce a national system of building regulations. The need of action is too obvious to be stressed, 'but something may be said about the nature of the inquiry. The investiga-. tion should begin at once, and with the. data available it should be possible for a report to be madei for submission to Parliament—if such submission is necessary—during next month's session. The investigation, should be conducted by. a strong, committee of architects, '•engineers, builders and geologists. And the question of setting up a permanent body to study earthquakes and their effects should be considered. In his book, "Earthquakes and Building Construction," which was published three years before the Murchison earthquake, and in I Avhich he emphasised strongly the necessity for taking precautions in erecting buildings, Mr. C. R. Ford, the Auckland architect, drew attention to the establishment in Japan of 'a State Earthquake Investigation .Committee, which carried, on permanent research work in building construction, and published its results for the information tof architects and engineers. Mr. Ford thought that there should be a similar body in N r ew Zealand, working under the direction of the Government seismologist, that the recommendations of this body should be binding on the community, but that in order to prevent unnecessary restrictive regulations being framed, all such proposals should be reported upen by a joint committee representing the Institute of Architects, the Society of Civil Engineers, and the Federation of Building Employers. The Government should consider this constructive [ proposal once.