JULY 24.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 2237

EXISTING BUILDINGS.

13. The owner of every building heretofore erected shall, within a reasonable time after being required by the Superintendent by notice in writing so to do, provide in connection therewith the fire-escapes hereby declared to be necessary for such building.

BUILDINGS SUBJECT TO BY-LAW BY CHANGE OF USE.

14. When the nature of the use or occupation of any building, whether heretofore or hereafter erected to which this by-law does not apply, is changed so that this by-law applies thereto the owner of such building shall, within a reasonable time after being required by the Superintendent by notice in writing so to do, provide in connection therewith the fire-escapes hereby declared to be necessary for such building.

BUILDINGS SUBJECT TO BY-LAW BY STRUCTURAL ALTERATION.

15. When structural additions or alterations are made to any building, whether heretofore or hereafter erected, to which this by-law does not apply so that this by-law applies thereto, the owner of such building shall forthwith (and without the necessity of any notice) provide in connection therewith the fire-escapes hereby declared to be necessary for such building.

FRESH COMPUTATION OF NOMINAL CAPACITY.

16. When a fresh computation of the nominal capacity of any building has been made as hereinbefore provided, the owner of such building shall, within a reasonable time after being required by the Superintendent by notice in writing so to do, provide in connection therewith the fire-escapes hereby declared to be necessary for such building according to such fresh computation.

PART III.—FIRE-ESCAPES DECLARED TO BE NECESSARY.

NUMBER OF FIRE-ESCAPES PER BUILDING.

17. It shall be necessary for every building to be provided with a separate and sufficient fire-escape not connecting with any other fire-escape for every one hundred units or part of one hundred units of the nominal capacity of the building; and, where the nominal capacity of any storey of a building exceeds one hundred units, it shall be necessary for such storey to be provided with a separate and sufficient fire-escape not connecting with any other fire-escape for every complete one hundred units of the nominal capacity of that storey.

ALTERNATIVE ESCAPES.

18. In every case where the nominal capacity of any building or part of a building entails the provision of more than one fire-escape, the number of fire-escapes provided shall be such that each fire-escape is sufficient for a nominal capacity of at least one-third more than a nominal capacity, ascertained by dividing the total nominal capacity of such building or part of a building by the number of fire-escapes provided:

Provided that for the purposes of this and the last preceding clause hereof any fire-escape of greater width at every exit than the minimum width prescribed by clause 38 hereof shall be deemed sufficient for an additional twenty-five units of nominal capacity for every complete 2 ft. of width additional to the said minimum.

NUMBER OF EXITS PER STOREY.

19. It shall be necessary for every storey of a building to be provided with a separate exit to a fire-escape for every fifty units or part of fifty units of the nominal capacity of that storey.

DISTANCE TO EXIT.

20. It shall be necessary for every room in a building (exclusive of bath-rooms, lavatories, and other rooms of a like nature) to have access to a sufficient fire-escape access to which is obtained either directly or by means of a level unimpeded passageway of a length measured along the course thereof of not more than 100 ft. from the door or nearest door of such room to the exit:

Provided that in the case of a building so constructed that the distance in a straight line from the door of any room to the nearest exterior wall of the building having space beside it for a fire-escape is a distance of more than 100 ft., then in respect of such room such distance shall be deemed to be substituted for the length of 100 ft. hereinbefore prescribed.

FIRE-ESCAPES TO COMPLY WITH BY-LAW.

21. No fire-escape shall be deemed sufficient for the purposes of this by-law unless it conforms in all respects with the requirements relating to fire-escapes hereinafter contained, and unless the exits thereto conform in all respects with the requirements relating to exits hereinafter contained, and unless it is at all times maintained in good, sound, and substantial order and condition, and unless all moving parts thereof and of all exits thereto are at all times maintained in free working condition.

CLEARANCE OF FIRE-ESCAPES.

22. No fire-escapes shall be deemed sufficient for the purposes of this by-law if—

(a) At any time any part thereof is occupied by any goods or other movable article:

(b) The space to a height of 6 ft. above any part of the footway is at any time occupied by any object so as to reduce the width of the space vertically above the footway of the fire-escape below the minimum width of 30 in. prescribed by clause 38 hereof.

APPROVAL OF PLANS.

23. Any person proposing to provide a fire-escape for any building, whether in pursuance of any requirement under this by-law or otherwise, may submit to the Superintendent particulars of plans and specifications of such fire-escape and the exits thereto, and of such building, and of the actual or intended nominal capacity thereof, and if the Superintendent considers such particulars sufficient to enable him to do so he may, by notice in writing, approve the same, and a fire-escape with exits thereto, both constructed in accordance with such plans and specifications shall, if such construction has been commenced within three calendar months of the date of such approval, be deemed (so far only as regards matters appertaining to the design and construction thereof) to be sufficient for the purposes of this by-law.

UNIMPEDED PASSAGE-WAYS.

24. No passage shall be deemed an unimpeded passageway for the purposes of this by-law unless it complies with all the following requirements:—

(a) It lies for the whole of its course on one floor of the building:

(b) It is of a height at its lowest part of at least 8 ft. and a width at its narrowest part of at least 3 ft.:

(c) It is separated by a substantial partition from any staircase, lift-well, or other opening extending through any floor of the building:

(d) It is not at any time occupied by any furniture, curtain, or other movable object placed so as to reduce the height and width of the passageway below the aforesaid minimum measurements:

(e) It is provided with a notice of the words “TO FIRE-ESCAPE” and a mark of direction, both permanently marked on or affixed to a wall thereof in a conspicuous position and in conspicuous lettering at least 6 in. high at every place where two or more passages meet or the passageway changes its direction:

Provided that the requirements set out in paragraph (e) hereof shall not apply to a passage in any part of a building which part is occupied solely as a private dwelling or solely as an office, warehouse, or counting-house in which not more than ten persons are regularly engaged.

PART IV.—EXITS.

SIZE OF EXITS.

25. The exit of every fire-escape shall be a window, door, or other opening in the exterior wall of the building of such a size that when opened it shall not in any part be less than 3 ft. wide nor less than 6 ft. high, exclusive of any projections or fittings connected therewith:

Provided that in case of an exit serving only for one room having not more than five hundred square feet of floor space it shall be sufficient if the exit, when opened, has a rectangular space of at least six square feet and a width unobstructed by projections or fittings of at least 30 in.

LEVEL OF EXITS.

26. The sill or lower part of the exit shall be horizontal, and shall be not more than 6 in. above the footway of the fire-escape and shall, if the nominal capacity of the part of the building served by the exit exceeds one hundred units, be flush with the floor of the storey, and shall in other cases be not more than 30 in. above the floor of the storey, and if more than 12 in. above such floor, then it shall be provided with an interior step having a raiser of half the distance from the floor to the exit and a tread of at least 7 in.:

Provided that in case of an exit serving only for one room having not more than five hundred square feet of floor-space no step shall be required, and the sill of the exit may be not more than 24 in. above the floor of the room.