HEIGHT OF BUILDINGS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXIX, Issue 14610, 18 February 1908, Page 8

HEIGHT OF BUILDINGS.

THE QUESTION IN AUCKLAND. [From Octr Correspondent.] AUCKLAND, February 14. Tho question of the height to which buildings may be erected, without going beyond the limits of existing fire-fight-ing appliances, is giving the City Council some concern just now, and at the meeting of the Council last night Superintendent Woolley, of the Fire Brigade, stated in a report that with no legislation restricting the height of buildings, the tendency was to huild high, it being cheaper to got height than frontage. The experience of all fire chiefs in Australasia was that 60ft was the utmost height that could be successfully coped with by a brigade. In a report on tho matter, Mr Bush, City Engineer, said that he thought it impossible to restrict the height of buildings to 60ft. At present there were a great many buildings, notably in Custom Street, the height of which was above 60ft. He thought that by-laws should be framed restricting the heights of buildings in ratio to the width of the street in which they were placed. The whole of tho building by-laws should he revised with a view to preventing the use of such _ a _ large amount of inflammable material in the construction of floors and lining of ceilings and walls, and it was his intention to prepare a draft set of bylaws. A building was to be erected opposite St Patrick's Cathedral of eight storeys, with a total maximum height to the parapet of over 100 ft. In this building steel girder construction was being extensively used, but the floor joists were of timber, and the whole of the ceilings and walls were to he lined with timber. As to the Christohurch fire, ho pointed out that it had assumed such proportions owing to there not being a sufficient supply of water at as good a pressure as there was in Auckland, but there was no doubt that high buildings at any rate should be constructed as fireproof as» possible. Tho matter was referred to the Work* Committee, the city engineer* to draw up by-laws to give effect to the recommendation.