BUILDING CONTROL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20987, 25 September 1931, Page 11

BUILDING CONTROL.

THE AMENDED BILL. CITY ENGINEER'S VIEWS. PROBABILITY OF FRICTION. Some of the changes made in the Build- [ ing Construction Pull by the Parliament- ! arv Select Committee were commended and others criticised by the city engineer, i Mr. J. Tyler, in a report received by the ■ J City Council last evening. "I am of the ' I opinion that the bill is much improved, - J in particular with regard to three features • j that were advocated by the council," ■ Mr. Tyler stated. > "The features are:— "(1) Giving the council power to deal with dangerous feature* of existing build- ' iags. '•'(2) The setting up of a special committee to prepare regulations and to adi j vise the Minister on matters dealing i I with design and construction of buildI i ings. However, in my opinion, the municipalities should have greater representation, as in the past tho onus for build- ; ing by-laws has rested entirely with them, • and because they are the bodies responsible for checking and supervision, [ especially when it is seen that three members of the committee form a quorum. "(3,1 The special fee has been reduced ito one-eighth of 1 per cent., but it is pointed out that there appears to be provision for the same amount for administration purposes as was provided for in the original draft. ' 1 "The council took strong exception to 5 j the powers vested in the Minister in the . previous draft, and while these powers [ will now be somewhat modified by tne apoointment of a special commutes to advise him. the substitution of the en--1 gineer-in-chief for the Minister in the ! majority of the clauses of the new drat ' now gives definite authority to the chief ' engineer of the Public Works Depart--5 ment, or any person appointed bv him, to ! check designs and to enter upon works ' for the purpose of seeing if the regulations, etc., are being or have been com--1 plied with, and he may do anything which he deems necessary tor this purpose. If this authority is exercised m . the case of those bodies with a competent . staff, overlapping and objectionable tnc- , tion will almost certainly occur I "I wish also to point out that under , the bill as now proposed the , bility for checking of designs, _ the i.suin I of permits and the supervision of co - I struction, rests with the authority, I subject to the above powers. The Mayor, Mr. G. W. Hutchison moved that the report be reierred to t I Works Committee, with power to act. Lie remarked that there would be an oppoi- ' tunity to make further representations . upcm the in seco nding the i motion, said anyone who. undertook the erection of a large building under the ' conditions set forth in the bill wouldl be ' accepting a verv grave responsibility. ' Even at one-eighth per cent, the special ! fee on a building of any size wouid amount ' to a considerable sum. The motion was carried.