BUILDING BY-LAWS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3711, 21 December 1912, Page 5

BUILDING BY-LAWS.

FOll COOK AND WAIKOHU

A PROPOSED CONFERENCE

Contained in the report of Inspector York to the Hospital Board at last evening’s meeting was the following: • “I will ask you to draw the Board’s attention to the want of some regulations or by-laws for controlling the erection of new buildings in the two Counties. I mean buildings intended for human habitation. 1 have had under my notice of late some sanitary work done in connection with a good class house newly erected in the Cook County, that if left it would have been positively dangerous to the inhabitants. I served the tradesman . that did it with a requisition to abate the nuisance within seven' days. This appears to have stirred the matter up amongst the master plumbers. I have received a letter from the secretary of their union, which shows tfyey are not always to blame. It appears from their letter that the architects are more to blame than the pinchers, as they specify work to be done in a manner that will prove to be insanitary. The letter is as follows:—‘Our members would be pleased if regulations could be framed l for sanitary plumbing for the districts under your control, as at present some architects are specifying work to bo done in a manner which we know to be insanitary, and not in accordance with the requirements of the Health Department.’ I think after the Board have read the letter from the secretary of the Master Plumbers’ Union they will at once see the urgency of some regulations or by-laws to control this kind of work. I would most respectfully recommend that no building intended for human habitation be allowed to be erected in- either Cook or "YYaikohu Counties until the plans have been passed by the local authority, and all sanitary work in connection with any new house, or alterations to any house. The local authorities’ Sanitary Inspector should be notified when such work is to be started, so that he can watch the job and see that it is carried out in a satisfactory way.” The report was briefly discussed, arid on the suggestion of Crs. Kenway and Humphreys, it- was decided to appoint a committee, at a later date, to include Dr. Wilson, to deal with the matter.

The proposal is to moot representative architects and plumbers in conference ancl discuss suitable by-laws to govern buildings in the County. 'I he plumbers and architects will be written to, and Dr. Chesson, District Health Officer, will be communicated with and asked for suggestions on the subject.