Mortar.
Appendix No. 3.
Concreting of Floors.
Appendix No. 4.
185 (12)
84. Several prosecutions having been instituted by the Building Authority against contractors for using bad mortar in the construction of buildings.
85. The contractors employed professional assistance on their behalf as they believed the tests applied by the Building Authority were fallacious, and the convictions consequently unjust.
86. In this connection, Mr. A. OUGH, Civil Engineer, and partner of the firm of Messrs. Leigh & ORANGE, made several tests of mortar taken from works being carried out under their supervision.
87. A copy of Mr. OUGH's report with the results of the tests he applied, and the tests applied by the Building Authority, is hereto aunexed.
88. On page 5 of Mr. OUGH's report, comparative tests made by the Building Authority and Messrs. LEIGH & ORANGE in five cases are given, and from it a strong case is made out for a further and an independent examination and tests of the mortars before prosecutions are instituted by the Government.
89. We commend to the attention of Your Excellency Mr. OuGu's report, with a view of further evidence on the subject being obtained.
90. The concreting of floors and their maintenance are governed by sections 111, 112, and 140 of the Ordinance.
91. By the first of these sections, (111), the ground surface of every domestic building shall be properly covered with a layer of not less than 6 inches of good lime or cement concrete finished off smooth, and the ground surface of every basement, cook house, back yard, &c., shall be properly covered over with a layer of good lime or cement concrete not less than 6 inches thick finished off smooth, with not less than 2 inches of cement concrete or with hard glazed bricks, &c., &c., or with such other material as may be approved by the Board.
Provided always. that this section shall not apply to any existing domestic building, the ground surface of which has been paved to the satisfaction of the Board in accordance withany existing law or Bye-law, and which is so maintained.
92. By section 112, where the ground surface of any domestic building, cook house, &c., &c., is or has been paved or covered over with impervious material, and such material has been subsequently broken, excavated or otherwise disturbed, or has perished, it has to be made good to the satisfaction of the Board, upon the completion of any work for the execution of which the same has been broken or otherwise disturbed, or within 14 days from the receipt by the owner of written notice from the Board to do so.
93. By section 140 every kitchen floor shall be properly paved or floored with cement concrete or other non-absorbent material, approved by the Building Authority.
94. So far as the repairing of the floors is concerned, much hardship has been created by the Authorities in a large number of cases requiring the owner to re-concrete the floors, whereas the actual damage to the floor was confined to the superficial covering of same having become slightly defective. No such power is given in the Ordinance to compel an owner in such case to re-concrete, the words being to "make good". These words are given in the notice (Sanitary Board 2) but at the instigation of some officer and without the authority of the Board, the words "nake good" have been deleted and the words "to re-concrete "substituted, which words have a much wider application, and not required by law.
95. The Sanitary Surveyor, Mr. CARTER, admits this allegation and in justification says he has taken too high a standard for concrete in this Colcy.
96. In 1905 about 1,760 notices were served to re-concrete, and from an examination made by some of your Commissioners during this year, it was found that in many cases very superficial repairs to the surface of the floors were all that were needed, and in other respects they were not in a state to need re-concreting.