BUILDING BY-LAWS

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 265, 5 August 1931, Page 10

BUILDING BY-LAWS

Earthquake Risks LOCAL-BODY POWERS Supervision by State Recommendations for the supervision of building materials and designs, made by the Building Regulations Committee sei: up after the Hawke’s Bay earthquake, are embodied in broad _ outline in the Building Construction Bill introduced in the House yesterday by Governor-Gener-al’s message. As proposed, the State will exercise supervision over the building by-laws of municipalities and other local - authorities, and it will have power to see that a code of more or less standardised regulations is enforced throughout the Dominion.

Although local bodies will be able to frame their own by-laws providing against earthquake risks, these will be subject to the approval of the Government, which itself will draw up model requirements which may be adopted by any local authority anxious to take this lead. A special fee of one-fourth of one per cent, of the cost of new buildings or will be added to building permit fees after January 1, 1932, and this will be applied to administering the Act and also to research into earthquake resistance.

It will not be lawful after the-Act comes into operation for any person to erect any building or to continue in erection work, or to reconstruct or sub-, stantially alter nny structure, without a permit from the local authority in the district. In future, all permits for building’ construction or alteration must be in conformity with the new by-laws. Every local authority is giveh power to make by-laws relating to the design and construction of buildings. These bylaws must be sent to the Minister of Public Works for approval, and he will have the right to reject them in whole or in part. Scope of By-laws. Among other things, local bodies will be empowered to draw up by-laws covering building construction so as to deal with: (1) The design and construction of’ buildings and the methods of construction; (2) the heights of buildings; (3) the forces to be allowed for in structural design; (4) the working stresses or loads allowable in construction ; (5) the materials to be used and the qualities and proportion of these materials; (6) fire prevention and control; (7) the means of ingress to and egress fiom buildings; (8) the conditions subject to which buildings erected for any purpose or purposes may be used for any other purposes. In addition the local body may require that plans, sketches, calculations, specifications, and other particulars be submitted to it for approval. Provision is also made for the appointment of clerks of works whose duties will include an obligation to report to the local body as soon as they become aware that the requirements of the by-laws are not being Observed. The Minister of Public Works may require an authority to make by-laws dealing with the points enumerated. If a local body does not comnly with the Minister’s wishes, the difficulty may be overcome bv putting into effect what bylaws the Minister thinks fit for the affected area by means of Order-in-Councih Added to this, it will be possible to govern by Order-in-Council any building construction within the limits of a harbour and not within the district of any local authority brought under the provisions of the Act. Model Regulations. It will be possible for model by-laws tn be drawn up and approved by Order-in-Council, and a local body may adopt them by resolution, although, with the sanction of the Minister of Public Works, local authorities may vary their provisions. Full powers are contained in the Bill to enable inspecting officers to visit the scene of building operations. Any person obstructing an inspecting officer in the performance of his duties will be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £lOO. After the passing of the Act.’every local authority will be required to engage the services of a fully qualified technical adviser in’ order that there may be adequate inspection of plans and other particulars relating to building permits, and to see that the Act is administered effectively. If a direct appointment is not made to - the staff of the local body, steps must be taken to see that the services of a competent adviser are retained at all times. Co-operation of the State. It will be possible for a local body, by arrangement with the Minister, to secure the services of a Public Works Department official for this purpose, and if this is done, the local authority will have to contribute toward the salary and expenses of the official engaged at a rate to be mutually agreed upon. If the owner or other person liable fails to appoint a clerk of works for the specified purposes, the Minister or a local authority may make the appointment and claim all expenses, including salary, connected with the appointment. Before issuing a building permit, however, the applicant may be required to deposit an amount to cover expenses that might be incurred in respect of the appointment of a clerk of works.

Power is reserved to a local authority to order the demolition, removal or alteration of any building erected in contravention of the law. If the requisition of a local body to this effect is not complied with, an order demanding compliance at the expense of the owner may be made by a magistrate. Should this order not be carried out the owner will be liable to a fine of £5O, and the local authority may proceed to carry out the demolition or other work it considers necessary, recovering from the person concerned all expanses incurred.

Special Fee Cliargeable. After January 1, 1932, a special fee at the rate of one-fourth of one per cent, of the cost of erection, _ reconstruction or iit/u’ation of any building brought under the provision of the special by-biws, will be payable into the public account. An amount not exceeding one-eighth of one per cent, of the amount on which the fee is computed will be applied toward the cost of the administration of the Act, and the remainder will be applied, in accordance with appropriation by Parliament, toward the cost of investigations undertaken by the State, with a view to improving building designs in relation to earthquake resistance. This fee will be paid by an applicant before he receives his building per-, mit, and it will be handed on to the Crown by the local authority. A fine of £lOO is provided for the commission of any offence other than specified above, and a further fine of £25 will be imposed for every day or part of a day on which the offence is continued.