THE CITY COUNCIL BY-LAWS.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13161, 7 July 1908, Page 11

THE CITY COUNCIL BY-LAWS.

IMPORTANT ADDITIONS,

The proposed new by-laws, which have been before the City Council for somo time past, M-erc finally approved at tho meeting of the Council held last night, and it M-as resolved that a motion for their confirmation should bo dealt with at the meeting of the Council to be held on August 3rd. In the meantime a copy of the proposed new by-laws wdl be available for public inspection at the Council office during otiice hours.

In- new by-laM-s deal M'ith a very wide range oi subjects, and include some important innovations, especially in regard to tho construetiou of new imiMiu-s, and the preventing of overcrowding iv theatres and places of public entertainment.

One oi the new by-laws refers to heavy tru-hc iv the city, and enacts mat ueLweeii 8 a.m. and 0.30 p.m. heavy vehicle, unable to travel at a I aster pace than o miles per hour shall not be driven or conducted alonj: certain sections of High, Colombo and \ i-toria streets. The by-law, however, does not apply to tho case of a heavy vehicle crossing any of the streets named within tho prohibited area, or taking or depositing passengers or goods within that area. Thero ia a set ol new by-laws relating to vehicles and horses, autl the drivers and riders thereof, and it is laid down that no person shall drive or ndo.recklessly or negligently along tho city streets, regard being had to the light, traffic, and other conditions prevailing at the time: that uo person shall drive any vehicle proceeding at a walking pace abreast of another vehicle proceeding in the same direction, or any vehicle so constructed that the driver cannot havo a suliicient view of the trauic in front of or around his vehicle, or any vehicle or animal upon which appears any unsightly advertisement, or ljj_ o_y0 _ y { 0 frighten horses. Vehicles used for trado or business purposes cannot be driven Hiuiui tho city by uffy person under the a-o ol sixteen years. Other regulations of lesser importance aro laid down relating to street traffic. The hoisting of uoods over a footpatn between 8 a.m. and midnight is lorhiddcn without the written permission of the Council first being attained. •Street processions aro prohibited unless authorised in writing by tho Mayor or other municipal oikcer." Four hour..' notice must bo given, and the routo and time mentioned in the license must bo adhered to. Funeral or wedding processions are exempted from this by-law.

_ fho Mayor or other municipal officer is authorised to close any street against vehicular traffic for a period not exceeding five hours if tho public safety or convenience shall so require. Street musicians aro dealt with in a by-law which prohibits thorn from playing or singing within the hearing of persons or tho premises of any householder when requested to desist by tho householder, but the effect of the prohibition continues for' 24 hours only after the request is made. Loitering, having tho effect of obstructing or disturbing tho free use of any premises, is forbidden.

Traction engines, which include motor M-aggons, are subject to an annual license fee of £2 10s, and sky signs and hoardings to a license fee of 3d per superficial foot.

Elaborate regulations aro included relating to the construction of buildings, from a fire prevention point of view, and tho use of reinforced concrete.

Tho "inner aroa' of tho city is extended, and the new boundaries detailed.

Perhaps the most important section of tho new by-laM-s, from tho standpoint of the general public, is that relating to theatres and places of public entertainment. The by-law's enact that tho leasee of any building used as a public theatro or concert hall shall poo that every <_eat therein intended for tho uso of the public is marked with or otherwise visibly distinrruished by somo particular number different from tint of any other seat therein, but such scats mnv be grouped nnder letters of tho alphabet or otherwise, and be numbered as to such groups respectively. Such lessees are to cause to be furnished to every person admitted to any building so used for the purpose of witnessing any public performance therein a ticket with a number written or printed thereon of _ome ono such sent in snch building, nnd no 1p«...00 shall sell or dispose of more tickets than are renre-«ented in tho aggregate of tho total number of seats in the theatre, or more than one ticket for each seat in the building. No person is to be admitted to a thorjjre without -iieh a ticket., nnd o.eh person is to keep the ticket in his or her pos."«..inn durine- the whole of the performance, and is to be entitled to retain the pent mentioned in the ticket for the M-hole- of the perform .nee. Tlio holder of a sent is not to be entitled during a performance to occupy any pcit not numbered to correspond with hi« ticket, and ticket holders must- exhibit their tickets when rconested to do so by nnv inspector. The word, "concert h-ill" in the by-law is to bo deeded to be a buildine in which the number of persons admitted to the performance o.ceeds 000. the obicct lieino; tn c .elude f-om the operation of the bv-lnws small social halls and schoolrooms.