SPECIAL MEETING.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 1866.

A Special Meeting of the Town Council was held in the Council Chamber, New Town Hall, this afternoon, "for the purpose of considering the proposed Bye-Laws, Rules, and Orders submitted by the Town Improvement Committee, with respect to new streets, buildings, slaughter-houses, &c., and to take such steps in relation thereto as the Council shall deem expedient." The Mayor (Mr. Ald. Dodds) presided. Mr. Richard Cail took his seat as representative for St. Nicholas' Ward in the room of the late Mr. John Harrison.

THE PROPOSED NEW BYE-LAWS.

He

Mr. Ald WILSON said he rose to move the adoption of the new bye-laws, of which he hoped every member of the Council had had a copy, and been able to peruse it. They had there all the most useful clauses of the Health of Towns' Act, without having its objectionable machinery, and expensive machinery as well. hoped that the Council would pass these bye-laws. They had been very carefully considered by the Town Improvement Committee, who had had many and frequent meetings on the subject. The Town Clerk had had those bye-laws examined by a barrister, for the purpose of seeing that they were strictly in harmony with their own Act of Parliament. He hoped, therefore, that on the whole, with some slight alterations, they might be adopted. The Alderman then proceeded to move the clauses seriatim; and they were ultimately adopted in the following form:

1. Width of New Streets.-No front or cross street shall be made or laid out of a less width than 30 feet.

And in addition to the width of street above prescribed, in all cases, unless the Council shall order otherwise, a width of 10 feet of footway or footways shall be provided for every front street, the buildings to be erected in which, or any of them, are, on either side of the street, to exceed one story in height; and a width of 20 feet of footway or footways, for every front street, the buildings to be erected in which, or any of them, are, on either side of the street, to exceed two stories in height.

No back street shall be made or laid out of a less width than 20 feet, with such additional width (if any) not exceeding 6 feet for footways, as the Council shall see fit.

Every new street shall have an entrance at each end, of the full width of the roadway and footway, open from the ground upwards.

The term "back street" shall mean, in this Bye-Law, a street affording
communication only to the backs of houses; the term "front street,"
a street not a back street; the term "cross street," a street the
roadway of which shall lead across another street or past the end of
another street intersecting another street.
The terms "width of street" and "width of footway" shall mean, in this
Bye-Law, the width of street or footway measured at the narrowest
part, at right angles to the course or direction of the street or foot-
way, exclusive of any steps or projections.

Every street shall be made and laid out according to the provisions of this Bye-Law, and any person who shall at any time hereafter make or lay out any street otherwise than in accordance with the provisions herein contained, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

2. No building hereafter to be erected, in any street hereafter to be made, shall at any time be built of or raised to a greater number of stories than the houses for which street has been made or laid out, and every person offending against this Bye-Law shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

3. Level of New Streets.-Every new street shall be laid out and formed at such level as the Council shall in each case determine, by order made within one month after due notice given by the person intending to lay out such new street of such his intention. Any person who shall make or lay out any new street, at a level different from the level so determined as aforesaid, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

4. Level of Basement Floor of Houses.-The level of basement floor of houses, to be erected in any new street shall be six inches at least above the level of the street. Any person offending against this bye-law shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

5. Sewerage of New Streets.-The Council shall make such order as to them may appear expedient for regulating and determining the levels of the sewers of every new street, and the course, depth, width, form, and construction of the same within one calendar month after due notice given by the person intending to lay out such new street of such his intention. Any person who shall make or lay out any new street without constructing sewers, in compliance with any such order as shall have been so made as aforesaid, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

6. Construction of New Streets.-The mode of construction of every new street, and the materials to be employed, shall, in each case, be subject to the approval of the Council; and every person who shall make or lay out any new street, without having first obtained such approval (signifled in writing under the hand of the Town Clerk, or his deputy), shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

7. Thickness of Walls.-The external walls of every building hereafter to be erected, other than out-offices attached to any building, shall, if of brick, be of the following minimum thickness, namely:

Of every such building of one story in height, 14 inches.

Of every such building of two stories in height, 14 inches.

Of every such building of three stories in height-for the first story, 18 inches; above, 14 inches.

Of every such building of more than three stories in height-for the three top stories, 14 inches; for all other stories, 18 inches.

Of every basement of every such building, two inches greater thickness than the wall immediately above such basement.

If of stone, the walls shall, in each case above-mentioned, be 3 inches thicker.

All external walls of out-offices and yard boundary walls, hereafter erected, shall, whether of brick or stone, be at least 9 inches thick.

All party walls of buildings hereafter erected, and all division or internal walls of such buildings to support joisting or other timbers, shall be at least 9 inches thick.

Any person who shall build, or permit to be built, any such wall, as aforesaid, in violation of the provisions of this bye-law, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

8. Structure of Walls, Floors, &c.-The external and party or side walls of every building, hereafter erected, shall be constructed of brick or stone, or other hard and incombustible substance. Any person who shall build, or permit to be built, any such wall, as aforesaid, in violation of the provisions of this bye-law, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

9. No joists or wood-work, except beams or bressumers and story posts under the same, fixed in or upon any party wall of any building hereafter erected, except houses of one story in height, shall be brought nearer than four inches to the external face of such party wall, unless with the previous sanction of the Council, signified in writing, under the hand of the Town Clerk or his deputy. Any person offending against this bye-law shall be liable to a penalty of not exceeding 40s.

10. The roof or flat of every building hereinafter erected, and every gutter, dormer, and other work or construction connected therewith, except the doors, door-frames, windows, and window frames of such dormer and other constructions, shall be formed of, or externally covered with, incombustible materials, except in special cases when otherwise allowed by the Council. Any person offending against this bye-law shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

11. The chimneys and flues of every building shall be constructed in such mode, and of such materials and dimensions as shall be approved by the Council; and shall, except where, in the case of a chimney of any out-office, the Council otherwise direct, be carried not less than 2 feet above the level of the top of the ridge of the main buildings. All hearths and slabs shall be properly bedded in incombustible materials; no timber or wood-work shall be placed within 9 inches of the inside face of any chimney or flue, and the brick-work or stone-work of all chimneys or flues shall be properly rendered. No wooden plugs shall be driven nearer than 6 inches to the inside of any chimney or flue. Any person offending against this bye-law shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

12. Space about Buildings.-Every building, hereafter erected, intended to be used or used as a dwelling-house, shall have, in the rear or at the side thereof, an open space, exclusively belonging thereto; such open space shall be equal in area to at least one-fourth of so much of the entire area of the ground occupied by, and belonging to, such building and its out-offices, as shall extend from the front wall of the building to the outer back and side boundary of the premises. Any person erecting any such building, and not complying with the provisions of this bye-law, and every owner of any such building refusing to comply therewith, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

13. It shall not be lawful at any time to build upon any open space belonging to any building, hereafter to be erected, left in compliance with the provisions of the last preceding bye-law, so as to render such open space of less extent than is required by that bye-law; and any person so building upon any such space, and the owner of any such space permitting the same to be so built upon, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

14. Ventilation of Buildings.-In every building, hereafter to be erected, all habitable rooms, except attics, shall be in every case at least 9 feet in height from the floor to the ceiling; all attics shall be at least 6 feet 9 inches in height, and shall have so much of the ceiling horizontal as shall be equal

at least one-fourth of the area of the attic, and shall have perpendicular walls of at least 4 feet in height (on every side), any person offending against this bye-law shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

15. Every room, hereafter erected, to be used or used as a habitable room, shall have at least one window, and the total area of window or windows, clear of the sash-frame, shall be at least one-tenth of the area of every such room, the top of one at least of such windows, where the room is not less than 9 feet in height, shall not be less than 7 feet 6 inches above the floor, and in other cases not less than 6 feet 9 inches, the upper half at least of all windows shall be made to open the full width. Any person constructing any such room, and the owner of any such room suffering the same to be constructed or occupied in violation of the the provisions of this bye-law, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

16. Ingress and Egress to and from Public Buildings.-No building to be used for the purpose of public entertainment, shows, or exhibitions, or as places of meeting for the public shall be erected until the proposed modes of ingress and egress to and from such building shall have been approved by the Council, and such approval shall have been signified in writing, under the hand of the Town Clerk, or his deputy; and after the proposed modes of ingress and egress shall have been so approved as aforesaid, they shall not be deviated from without the express direction and approval of the Council, signified in writing, under the hand of the Town Clerk, or his deputy; any person offending against this bye-law, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

17. Drainage of Buildings.-All houses and buildings hereafter to be erected, which in the opinion of the Council are insufficiently drained, shall be drained by drains placed in such position, of such size, and of such materials, and at such levels as may seem to the Council sufficient for the purpose of effectually draining the same. Any person offending against this bye-law, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

18. The drains of all buildings hereafter erected shall consist of glazed stoneware or fire-clay pipes, or other equally suitable material, and shall be connected with the sewers in a proper and effectual manner according to such plan as the Council shall direct, and shall be laid with water-tight joints, and beneath houses they shall be embedded in and surrounded with well puddled clay, no right angle junction, whether vertical or horizontal, shall be formed; any person constructing the drains of any such building contrary to the provisions of this bye-law, or not in accordance with the same, and the owner of any such building refusing or neglecting to comply therewith, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

19. Proper ventilation shall be provided in the drainage of every house hereafter erected, by means of the rain water pipe, by special pipe or shaft, except in cases where the Town Surveyor shall otherwise direct, all other inlets to house-drains shall be trapped; any person building any bouse, and not providing such ventilation in the drainage of the same, and the owner of any such house refusing or neglecting to comply with the provisions of this bye-law, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

20. The drainage of all buildings hereafter erected, shall be so constructed either with additional pipe drains or otherwise, as to drain the sub-soil of the premises whenever the dampness of the site appears to the Council to render this necessary, and all rain water shall be so drained or conveyed from the roofs of buildings as to prevent its dripping on the ground and causing dampness in the walls. Any person offending against this bye-law, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

21. Water-closets, Privies, Ashpits, and Cess-pools, in connection with Buildings.-Every dwelling-house hereafter erected shall be provided with

a water-closet or privy, and an ashpit of brick or stone; any such privy or ashpit constructed in a yard attached to the premises shall be placed not adjoining to or in front of any dwelling-house, but in such other situation, not disturbing any building then already erected as the Council may deem necessary, every such ash-pit shall be so arranged that surface water shall not flow into it.

Every warehouse, and every manufactory, or workshop hereafter erected, shall have a water-closet or privy of brick or stone attached thereto, unless by order signified in writing, under the hand of the Town Clerk, or his deputy, the Council shall otherwise permit. Any person who shall erect any such dwelling-house, warehouse, manufactory, or workshop who shall refuse or neglect to comply with the provisions of this bye-law, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

22. The minimum dimensions of every privy to be constucted in connection with buildings hereafter to be erected, shall be as follows:Depth, or length, from front to back, 4 feet 6 inches.

Breadth, 3 feet 6 inches.

Height, 6 feet 6 inches.

The floor of every privy shall not be less than 9 inches above the ground immediately adjoining, and shall have an inclination towards the door of half an inch to the foot; and when a privy adjoins an ash-pit, the opening in the wall of the privy adjoining the ash-pit shall be the full width of the privy, and shall extend in height to within 6 inches of the level of the seat.

Every water-closet or privy shall have an opening as near to the top as practicable, communicating directly with the external air, or shall be otherwise furnished with sufficient means of ventilation.

The internal area of every ash-pit constructed in connection with buildings hereafter erected, shall not be less than 16 feet; the walls shall be not less than 9 inches thick; the bottom of every such ash-pit shall be 12 inches below the level of the yard, and shall be paved, flagged, or laid with cement not less than 2 inches thick.

Every such ash-pit shall be well and effectually drained-ash-pit holes shall not be less than 1 foot 7 inches by 1 foot 9 inches, and shall be provided with doors, if such doors abut upon a street they shall open inwards.

Any person constructing any water-closet, privy, or ash-pit in connection with any building hereafter erected, and any owner of any such building permitting any such water-closet, privy, or ash-pit to be constructed contrary to this bye-law, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

23. No room intended to be occupied as a dwelling or sleeping room shall hereafter be erected above any privy, ash-pit, midden, or cesspool, and it shall not be lawful to occupy as a dwelling or sleeping room, or any room, any portion whereof extends immediately over any privy, ash-pit, midden, or cesspool, and any person hereafter erecting any room contrary to the provisions of this bye-law, and any person occupying as a dwelling or sleeping room, or knowingly suffering to be occupied as a dwelling or sleeping room, any room contrary to the provisious of this bye-law, shall be liable for every such offence to a penalty not exceeding 40s.

24. The owner of any privy, ash-pit, midden, or cesspool, over which any portion of any dwelling or sleeping room extends, shall alter or remove such privy, ash-pit, midden, or cesspool, if required to do so, by notice in writing signed by the Town Surveyor, or other authorised officer of the Council; any such owner who shall not within 14 days after such notice shall have been delivered to him, alter or remove such privy, ashpit, midden, or cesspool, as required by such notice, shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding 40s.