H—44A

BUILDING STANDARDS Building Code Sectional Committee (One meeting) Building Code Technical Committee .. .. .. Fourteen meetings. Structural Welding Committee .. .. .. .. One meeting. Fire-prevention Committee .. .. .. .. One meeting. Fire-resistance Ratings Subcommittee .. .. .. One meeting. Fire-resistance Ratings Panel .. .. .. .. One meeting. Measurement of Buildings Committee .. .. .. Three meetings. Parent Committee—The Building Code Sectional Committee was mainly occupied with a review of the reports of the committees and sub-committees working under its direction. In addition, the committee considered 27 British standards, 4 amendments to British standards, 14 draft British standards, 1 Australian standard, and 1 Canadian standard. It referred these specification to appropriate committees for examination in consultation with the affected interests, with a view to recommending whether they should be adopted as New Zealand standard specifications. In the case of the British standards in particular, and in other appropriate cases, the comments obtained were, or will be,, submitted to the originating bodies. Survey of Buildings. —At the instigation of the Building Research Committee, the Building Code Sectional Committee also examined proposals put forward by the New Zealand Institute of Architects for the classification of existing buildings according to their structural stability in relation to earthquake stresses. The committee concurred in the view expressed in the architects' report that some such action was necessary as an approach to reducing the hazard to life and property which a heavy earthquake would involve, due to the fact that some buildings, erected before the general adoption of the principles incorporated in the Standard Code of Building By-laws, would not withstand the stresses of seismic forces of high intensity. A proposal of the Building Research Committee that the Building Code Sectional Committee should examine the proposed basis for the classification of buildings, and correlate it with the Standard Code of Building By-laws, was endorsed by the Committee, and this work will be undertaken in collaboration with the authority which is to carry out the survey and assemble the data. The Building Code Sectional Committee also agreed that, on completion of the Survey, it should examine the data obtained with a view to establishing a final classification of existing buildings, and recommending such action, as it may consider necessary, in relation to the buildings falling within any class. Adoption of Standard Code.—The progress which has been made with the adoption of the various parts of the Standard Code of Building By-laws offers convincing evidence of the importance and value which local authorities attach to the work of the Building Code Sectional Committee. To date, nine parts of the Standard Code have been issued,, as follows : Part I —Preliminary. Part II —Building Permits. Part III —General Design and Construction. Part IV —Basic Loads and Stresses to be used in Design. Part V—Reinforced and Plain Concrete Construction. Part Vl—Panel Walls in Framed Structures. Part VII —Means of Egress. Part VIII —Residential Buildings. Part IX —Light Timber Construction. At the close of the year, Parts I-VI of the Standard Code had been adopted by fifty-four local authorities, forty-five of which had also adopted Parts VII-IX, while the remaining nine had the adoption of these parts under consideration. In fourteen

10