SAFER BUILDINGS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 145, 16 March 1934, Page 12

SAFER BUILDINGS

City Council Decides to Take Action WILL DRAFT BY-LAWS Removal of Dangerous Parapets Unanimously the Wellington City Council last evening decided to bring down at its next meeting special bylaws providing against earthquake risks. These are tn bo based upon the report of the Building Regulations Committee set up by the Government, and in the meantime P cl '’ mils are to be refused for the erection of buildings deemed to be unsafe from an earthquake point of view. Steps are also to be taken to ascertain what authority, if any, the council has to compel owners of buildings to remove dangerous parapets. The necessity for immediate action to miniipise the danger from buildings in the event of earthquake was emphasised by Cr. H. A. Huggins, chairman of the by-laws committee. The Prime Minister, he said, had told the municipal conference that it would lie at least four months before the Government regulations were ready. Four months was a long time, and delay should not be countenanced. The building regulations committee set up in 1931 had brought down a valuable report, but the matter had rested there. In order to reach some finality he moved: — That provision be made by a new by-law providing against earthquake • ' risks by incorporating in such bylaw the structural provisions set out fa appendices 1 and 2. pages 7 to 23 inclusive, of the report of the Building Regulations Committee, addressed to the Prime Minister, dated '• Tune 23, 1931. So far as he could gather the only objection to the new regulations was on the score of expense, Cr. Huggins said. After all, the safety of the citizens should come first. The Government should be urged to go on with the regulations, but in‘the meantime there was nothing to prevent the City Council from making a move itself. There ivas some doubt as to whether the council had authority to compel proper-dy-owners to remove dangerous para;pets, and to clarify the position the bylaws committee had asked the city solicitor to prepare a by-law for presentation to the next meeting. "Cr. R. McKeen said that the Prime Minister had asked the local bodies to make a move. The necessity for that was brought home to them all by the recent earthquake, which would have caused tremendous damage had it struck Wellington with the same severity as it had hit several towns in the north. If something was not done to minimise risk from unsafe buildings, loss of life would inevitably result in the event of a severe visitation. , . Cr. W. J. Gaudin: Will we be given an opportunity to discuss the new bylaws when they are brought down? Ascertain Powers First. The Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) : If this recommendation is passed, the city solicitor will draw up by-laws and these will come before the council for consideration. I may say that the citysolicitor has been asked to report on all existing conditions. . Mr. McKeen: Don’t you think the Question is of such importance that we ♦tight to hold a special meeting of the ♦ouncil? The Mayor: I think'it is necessary trst to ascertain our powers and then decide what should be done under those powers. I think the best thing to do is to pass this clause, which will enable the by-laws to come before us when they are ready. My recollection of the new regulations is that they are extraordinarily drastic. One wants time to consider them. The city engineer, Mr. G. A. Hart, ♦aid that under the present position he had no power to refuse a permit for a building which complied with the council’s by-laws, but which he knew of his own knowledge was unsafe from an earthquake point of view. Some owners took up the attitude that so long as their plans and specifications came within the by-laws their responsibility ceased. That might be so, but It was not sufficient. Immediate Action Urged. • Cr. P. M. Butler said that in his opinion no regulation could be too drastic where a matter of life and <i.eath was involved. The council should insist upon the removal of all dangerous parapets.* ..Tim Mayor said that a report was being obtained on the condition of existing buildings.' Immediatibn Action Urged. Cr. W. Appleton congratulated the b.V-laws committee on its action, and remarked that as the Government had failed to make a move it was up to tlic city to do something. “Personally I think this thing should be pushed through as quickly as possible,” he added. Ci-. M. F. Lvckie said, that the recent earthquake had demonstrated the need for immediate action. Somebody had to take the lead. In replying to the debate Cr. Huggins said he thought they would all agree that it. was a question of safety first. Following upon the Napier earthquake a report was made by the city engineer on all structures deemed to be unsafe. The owners of properties concerned were notified accordingly. Imt only about half a dozen of them paid any heed. The Mayor say! that at the present time there were applications before the council for the erection of 'buildings which in the opinion of the city engineer would not be safe from an earthquake point of view. ~ “T think we should take the bold course.” he continued. "If any- . body conies along for a permit for a building which is unsafe from an earthquake point of view, but which comes within our existing by-laws, let ns take the risk and refuse the application. “We at any rate will have done something—we will have advertised to the citizens that the particular building is unsafe. In the meantime let us go ahead and make our by-laws.” The motion was carried unanimously, and on the motion of the Mayor it was decided that it be an instruction to the city engineer that permits be refused for buildings considered to be unsafe from an earthquake point of view, even though the present by-law might bo complied with.