187 (23)
With regard to the Hotel Mansions case, the records of the Public Works Department show that the occupation certificate was issued to Messrs. PALMER & TURNER on the 10th August, 1906. If it did not reach Mr. OSBORNE's hand until the 16th or 18th August, the responsibility for the delay does not rest with this Department,
The following is the results of an examination into the time occupied in passing the whole of the plans deposited during the first quarter of 1906. The number of plans deposited was 273 and of these :
54
-
20% were passed within 10 days.
110 40 %
=
**
"
from 11 to 15 days.
45
161%
16 20
27
19
ا,
2)
Totals,...209
=
762%
}:
39
20 days.
In the case of 63 plans, or 23%, delays occurred from some of the following causes:
(a.) They were not in order and had to be returned to architect for amendment. (b.) They required modifications to be granted and therefore had to be submitted
to the Sanitary Board, the Governor-in-Council, or both.
(c.) Infractions of the Ordinance, which were practically part of the proposals, had already been committed and the plan could not be dealt with until these were remedied.
(d.) Questions of ownership, or encroachment, or levels were involved and a
survey had to be made before the plans could be dealt with.
(e.) The omission of necessary information which should have been shown.
It must be borne in mind that the following matters, which do not concern local authorities in England, in the case of plans deposited with them, have also to be investi gated in many cases here:-
(a.) Correctness of the boundaries shown on the plans.
(b.) Compliance with special conditions of sale.
(c.) The date of sale of the land; the date of erection of any existing building in cases where alterations affecting the open space are proposed; whether the land comes within the area covered by the Praya Reclamation Ordinance (No. 6 of 1889).
143-145.-The Ordinance is not enforced to the extent indicated. In cases where I consider that the repairs are not such as to be likely to jeopardize the stability of the building, I do not require a plan or certificate from an Authorized Architect. If the case quoted in 144 really occurred, the nature of the repairs could not have been known when the demand for a plan was made and an explanation of their nature would have been followed by the immediate withdrawal of the demand.
The case referred to in 145 cannot be traced without further particulars. It scarcely appears reasonable that it should be embodied in a report of this nature without some steps having been taken to verify the statements made. Great lenience is shown to people of the class indicated and a type plan has actually been prepared by Government for a simple class of house designed to suit their requirements. Copies of the plan are supplied for $1 each. It is not obvious how any improvement is to be effected if the people are to be permitted to build hovels of any description they please.
246–248.—There can be no objection to making provision for a modification of the requirements of the Ordinance in outlying districts, subject to some reservation in special cases where important developments occur. The recommendation is already carried out in practice, important modifications being granted by the Governor-in-Council in such cases, but the machinery for this might be made simpler.
311 et seq. New Scheme.-I submit the following criticisms on the proposals put forward by the Commission for the future administration of the Public Health and Build- ings Ordinance, in so far as they affect the Building Authority's duties.
They propose that the Sanitary Board should be constituted the Building Authority with an Executive Engineer as the chief executive officer for performing the duties coming within the scope of theilding Authority. To carry out the important duties devolving