Oct. 24.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 3589

same that no water can lodge thereon or under such house, or run under such house; and no person shall commence the erection of any building on any site having matter thereon which may prove injurious to the health of the occupants of such building.

(i.) No person shall erect a new dwellinghouse in the district unless he provide at the side or in the rear thereof of an open space exclusively belonging to such house and of an aggregate area of not less than 600 square feet: Provided that the open space shall extend throughout the entire width or, in the alternative, throughout the entire depth of the site, and shall be free from any erection thereon above the level of the ground, and shall be so maintained while the site is occupied by the house: Provided also that it shall be sufficient if an open space provided at the rear and side of any dwellinghouse is equal to one and a half times that hereinbefore required to be provided, even though the open space does not extend throughout the entire width or, in the alternative, throughout the entire depth of the site: Provided also that the minimum distance across such open space from every part of any dwellinghouse and from every part of any washhouse, shed, convenience, or other erection attached thereto shall be as follows:—

(1.) If the height of the house does not exceed 15 ft. . . . . . 15 ft.
(2.) If the height of the house exceeds 15 ft., but does not exceed 25 ft.. . 20 ft.
(3.) If the height of the house exceeds 25 ft., but does not exceed 35 ft. . . 25 ft.
(4.) If the height of the house exceeds 35 ft. 30 ft.

For the purposes of these by-laws, where the side boundaries of any site are not of the same length, the mean length of such side boundaries shall be taken as the depth of the site for the purpose of defining the distance across such open space; and the height of a dwellinghouse shall, for the purposes of these by-laws, be measured from the average level of the ground immediately adjoining the side or the rear of such dwellinghouse, as the case may be, to the level of half of the vertical height of the roof or to the top of the parapet, whichever is the higher.

(j.) Preventing Reduction of Space.—No person shall make any alteration or addition to any building (whether erected before the coming into operation of these by-laws or not) whereby the open space attached to such dwellinghouse shall be diminished by such alteration or addition so as to leave a less open space than is required by these by-laws to be provided, or whereby the open space existing at the time these by-laws come into force, being less (computed as aforesaid) than that provided for in these by-laws, shall be diminished or reduced.

(k.) Foundations of Concrete.—In any foundation-wall, either of concrete, bricks, or stone, either separate or conjoined, a proper damp-proof course of sheet 4 lb. lead, asphalt, slates, or other approved material shall be laid beneath the level of the lowest timbers, and at a height of not less than 6 in. above the surface of the ground adjoining such wall.

(l.) Plates and Joists above Ground.—No part of any plate or joist of any house shall be at a less distance in case of a plate than 6 in., and in case of a joist than 9 in., from any portions of the ground below or immediately adjoining such plate or joist, and the ground shall in all cases have sufficient and proper communication with the external air for the purpose of ventilation.

(m.) Walls of Living-rooms.—No room in any house other than a bathhouse, closet, or storeroom shall have a less average height than 9 ft. between the floor and the ceiling throughout an area equal to at least two-thirds of the floor-space.

(n.) Unsuitable Material.—No person shall use any old materials in the erection of any building unless the same shall be sound, have been cleaned, and certified by the Department of Public Health as suitable for such use.

No person shall use any materials which shall be, in the opinion of the Inspector or the District Health Officer, unsuitable for any cause whatsoever for use in any building; and any materials which may be so declared unsuitable shall, within twenty-four hours, be removed by the person in charge of the works from the site of the proposed building.

(o.) Materials.—No person shall use any materials in the construction, alteration, or repairs to any one-

story building within the Avondale Road District of less dimensions than are specified in the following schedule:—

Blocks: Sawn or split, heart of totara or puriri, 8 in. by 5 in., and such blocks shall be spaced at a distance of not more than 4 ft. apart.

Bottom Plates and Sleepers: 4 in. by 3 in., heart of totara, kauri, or rimu.

Jack-studs: 4 in. by 3 in., heart of totara, kauri, or rimu; in every case where the height of jack-studs exceeds 6 ft. the same shall be braced as is hereinafter specified for external walls.

Ground-floor Joists: 6 in. by 2 in., heart of totara, rimu, or kauri, spaced not more than 20 in. centres.

Vermin-plates: External walls, 4 in. by 2 in., partition-walls 3 in. by 2 in.

Top Plates: 4 in. by 2 in. external walls, 3 in. by 2 in. partitions; provided, however, that in the case of a building of more than one story the upper floor-plate shall not be less than 4 in. by 3 in.

Studs for External Walls: 4 in. by 2 in., spaced out (by 2 in.) not more than 20 in. centres, kauri, rimu, totara, oregon, or matai; provided, however, that in the case of a building of more than one story the studs for the walls shall not be less than 4 in. by 3 in.

Studs for Partition-walls: 3 in. by 2 in., spaced out not more than 20 in. centre, kauri, rimu, totara, oregon, or matai; provided, however, that in the case of a building of more than one story the studs for the partition-walls shall not be less than 4 in. by 3 in.

Braces on Studding: 4 in. by 1 in., kauri, rimu, totara, or oregon; not less than two braces for each external wall.

Ceiling-joists: 4 in. by 2 in., spaced 20 in. centres, kauri, rimu, totara, oregon, or matai.

Rafters: 4 in. by 2 in., spaced not more than 3 ft. apart, kauri, rimu, totara, oregon, or matai.

Collar-ties: 6 in. by 1 in., ordinary building kauri or rimu.

Purlins: 3 in. by 2 in., kauri, rimu, totara, oregon, or matai.

Hips, Valleys, and Ridges: None but 1 in. kauri, rimu, oregon, or matai.

Weatherboarding and all External Timber: To be heart of kauri, rimu, totara, or matai. All weatherboarding shall not be less than ¾ in. in thickness.

Flooring: Not less than 1 in. thickness, tongued and grooved, medium kauri, ordinary building rimu, matai, or totara.

Rough Lining: Not less than ½ in. in thickness, all close-jointed from floor to ceiling.

Bridging: Joists for a span not exceeding 12 ft., 9 in. by 2 in.; joists for a span exceeding 12 ft., 10 in. by 2 in.; upper floors having a span exceeding 14 in. shall be strengthened by a herring-boning of 2 in. by 2 in.

Any timber not otherwise specified shall be at least ordinary building rimu, matai, totara, or medium kauri.

(p.) No person shall erect, alter, add to, or renew the external walls, party walls, or chimneys of any buildings at a less distance than 4 ft. from the boundary (other than a road or a street boundary) of the property upon which such erection, alteration, addition, or renewal shall be made; provided that nothing in this clause contained shall prevent the erection, alteration, addition, or renewal of such walls or chimneys at a less distance than 4 ft. from such boundary if the material employed in the erection, alteration, addition to, or renewal of such walls or chimneys be not metal, wood, or other combustible substance.

(q.) Any Inspector appointed by the Board may from time to time enter upon any land during daylight and inspect any building or material proposed to be used in the construction of a new dwellinghouse, and no person shall obstruct any such Inspector or prevent him from making any such inspection.

(r.) No person shall, after these by-laws shall come into force, erect, alter, add to, or renew with wood, metal, or other combustible material the external walls, party walls, or chimneys of any building within 8 ft. from any other building.

2. If any dwellinghouse or part of a dwellinghouse be erected, altered, or repaired contrary in any particular to the provisions of this Part of these by-laws, it shall be lawful