BUILDING REGULATIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 5 August 1931, Page 6

BUILDING REGULATIONS

NAPIER INQUIRY ItSI.L , GIVINO . EFFECT JO RECOMMENDATIONS (From “The Mail’s” Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, 4th August. A Bill to give effect to the recommendations of the Buildings Regulations Committee which reported recently was introduced and read a first time in the House of Representatives to-day. It is mainly designed to ensure improvements in the construction of buildings and the protection of life and property in the event of earthquake. The erection, reconstruction or substantial alteration of buildings will be unlawful without a permit from the local authority in the district affected in conformity with the provisions of the regulations and by laws made under the Act. POWERS OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES Local authorities are empowered to make by-laws affecting the design and construction of buildings and methods of building construction, heights of buildings, forces (to be allowed for in the design of working stresses or loads allowable in construction, materials to be used and qualities and proportions of such materials, fire prevention and control, means of entrance and exit, etc. Copies of bylaws made under the Act are to be forwarded to the Minister of public Works, who will have power to disallow them wholly or in part. The Minister may also call on local authorities to make bylaws and if the Minister’s requisition is not complied with in three months, the GovernorGeneral may, by Order-in-Council, make such bylaws as lie considers fit. The Governor-General may also make bylaws with respect to the erection, reconstruction or substantial alteration of buildings. POWERS OF INSPECTION Local authorities may be required to furnish the .Minister with copies of all plans, sketches, calculations, specifications and other particulars supplied to the authority by applicants for permits, expenses to be borne by the applicants. Government representatives are given power to inspect works undertaken to ascertain whether tho requirements of the Act are being complied with and persons obstructing inspection will he liable on conviction to a £IOO fine. laical authorities arc to obtain tho services of a technical adviser in order to secure proper examination of plans, etc., and for this purpose they may, by special arrangements, obtain the services of officers of the Public Works Department.

In the event of failure to appoint a clerk of works as required by law, power is given to the local authority concerned or the Minister to make an appointment at the expense of the owner of the buildThe local authority is empowered to demand from applicants for permits a deposit not exceeding the amount, to be paid to the clerk of works for his ser vices. DEMOLITION OF BUILDINGS

Local authorities may order the demolition of any buildings erected in contravention of the provisions of the Act. If the owner fails to comply with the order, the local authority may apply to a Magistrate’s Court for an order. I< allure to comply with the Court’s order will make the owner, on summary conviction, liable to a fine of £SO and the local authority may proceed to demolish the building at the expense of the ownA special fee of one-fourth per cent, of the cost of the buildings erected under the Act is to be charged and paid into the Public Account. An amount not exceeding onc-eighth per cent, of the amount on which the fee has been computed is to be applied towards the cost of the administration of the Act and the residue is to be applied in payment of expenses incurred for investigation undertaken with a view to the improvement of building designs in relation to earthquake resistance.