THE NEW BUILDING ACT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume II, Issue 325, 26 November 1864, Page 5

THE NEW BUILDING ACT.

In answer to inquiries on this subject, we may state that the Act lias not passed the Provincial Council. There was an Act brought into the Conned to extend the operation of the existing Act, but complaint beiug so general as to the defects, in ihe pros.eiit Act it was ordered that the consideration of the question of extension should be postponed, and that a Building Amendment Act should be drawn up, comprising of course? the question as to limitation. The whole subject is at present under the eonsidc*ration of the .Law OUlcers of tlie Provincial Government and City Board. There is however no doubr, that there will be. a very wide extension of the Uailding Act. The following is a

memorandum of the recommendations offered by the City Board of Commissioners.

Memoranda with Teferenco to amendments considered bv the City Board of Commissioners, necessary to be made upon the " Auckland Building Act, 1855."

1. The Board shall have power to extend the limit of the Act from time to time, with the consent of the Superintendent and the Ksecutive, as they may think fit.

2. The thickness of party-walla should he specified in " inches," and not in " bricks."

3. A gronnd plan of every building intended to be erected should be furnished to the Inspector under the Act, at. least seven days before such building is commenced, and if collars are not intended to be provided, the access to such cellars to be clearly shown on such plan, and subject to the approval of the Inspector.

4. The mode of ventilating and lighting such cellars should be subject to the approval of the In speetor.

5. A building should be considered new whenever the enclosing walls thereof have not been carried higher than the footways previous to the3othOctober, 1S(!4.

6. More stringent regulations should be made with regard to the duration of the obstruction by enclosures during the erection of buildings. 7. l'ower should be given to the Inspector to survey ruinous or dangerous structures, and to enforce the owner to repair or pull down such structures. 8. The Inspector should have power to compel priviis and ashpits to be built tor every house, and to provide cesspools properly constructed and cemented so as to bo watertight. This law to apply to those presently existing, with power to the Inspector to have the same done to his satisfaction.

9. '1 o compel owners to construct drains into the common sewer under certain regulations, and where such sewer is within 100 feet distance from any part of any such b- ilding. 10. i\ T o house should be allowed to be built without drains are constructed to the satisfaction of the Inspector, where a common sewer exists within 100 feet of sneli proposed building. 11. All houses to be built to be ou the level to be determined by the City Board of Commissioners.

12. 'I he City Board of Commissioners should lvave power to make house drains at the expense of tlie

13. House drains and privies should be under the control of the City Uoard of Commissioners.

1-!-. The Commissioners should have power to authorise inspection of all drains, privies, and cesspools, the same to be made by the Inspector between the hours of 9 and I' 2 o'clock every week-day, and parties refusing to allow or preventing inspection, to be liable in penalty.

15. Vaults and cellars under any part of the streets should not be allowed to be constructed without the consent of the Commissioners. lti. The occupier or owner of any liouse or ground shall be compelled io e!ean and keep clean the footway extending the full length of the premises oeeupicd by him. 17. !"or the purpose of defraying the expense of carrying out the powers o(' the Act, certain fees should be chargeable upon each party who intends to erect any building. IS. The Act should be more explicit witli regard to the nature of iron buildings to be erected in terma of the Act.