SAFE BUILDINGS

Evening Star, Issue 21633, 31 January 1934, Page 2

SAFE BUILDINGS

THE EARTHQUAKE RISK MODEL BY-LAWS PROPOSED [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, January 31. The Government proposes to leave entirely in the hands of local authorities the responsibility for imposing safeguards, in building regulations, against the risk of destruction by earthquake. Tliis is the final development of a long controversy, which commenced with the proposal that there should be sonic form of State, or national, supervision over the plans of future building, m view of the generally accepted admission that in many parts of the dominion tho risk of damage from earthquake is very real if buildings are not constructed to withstand stresses _ in addition to those of gravity and wind pressure.

There -was a widespread protest against the original plan of making' it compulsory to submit building specifications for examination by state officers, and the charging of a fee for the building permit, in addition tp that levied by local authorities. This proposal never reached the Statute Boolr, and there was a further suggestion that model by-laws should be enacted, and their administration placed in the control of local bodies, which already deal with structures in their areas. Now it has been decided to leave the enforcement of earthquake safeguards entirely to local bodies, but they will be provided with model by-laws, and there will be a national supervision of very general character, which will bp. entrusted to the New. Zealand StandalThe latter body is associated with tlie Department of Industrial and Scientific Research, and has a number of .committees, with a membership of experts and persons engaged in the building and engineering industries, as well as local body officers. Its principal function is to set standards, which will become uniform and thus avoid a good deal of waste in industrial and other

processes. The expert investigation of the causes of damage in the Hawke * Bay earthquake produced much, valuable information as to the safeguard* which should be taken against earthquake shocks, and the additional cost of properly-designed structures was.con. sldered to be not more than 5 per cent. < greater than the '• cost of the usual structure which is ’ not adequately “ tied.” : 1 . 1 It is considered that if the matter is left to local authorities, they will have a sense of responsibility for the safety of residents in their own area, and that the niodel by-laws will be ade« quately enforced. The Hawke’s-Bay Earthquake Act of 1931 contained extensive "powers to make - regulations dealing with such emergencies, and there is one clause coveting the control over building operations which the Act specifically states may have either a particular or a general application. Thus it is considered that the problem of earthquake precautions can lie dealt with under its provisions, without the necessity for further legislation.