PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS SECTION J. 427 



or, better still, abrogate these clauses, and, in lieu thereof, 

 make one or two simple rules such as the following : No pro- 

 jection from the face of a building abutting on a public way 

 of not less than 66ft. in width to exceed, say, 4ft. ; such pro- 

 jection not to commence within a height of 12ft. from the pave- 

 ment. Every projection to be included within an angle of 45° 

 in plan drawn from the centre of the party-wall. The former 

 would give all the liberty required, and, if, owing to bad construc- 

 tion, any accident occurred and damage ensued, the owner is 

 already liable at law ; while the latter would sufficiently pro- 

 tect adjoining owners from injury to light, air, and prospect. 



The regulation of buildings is, however, not the only work 

 within the scope of Governments and City Councils, for they 

 of necessity have to erect some of the most j)rominent struc- 

 tures in every city. It therefore becomes a matter of the 

 utmost importance that these should be as good in quality and 

 design as can be obtained. That this is the case it would be 

 rash of me to assert, though the general average throughout 

 the colonies is of a high order. Nothing less than the best 

 should, however, be satisfactory, and with this end in view 

 the Minister for Works in New South Wales has announced 

 that, in future, designs for all Government buildings of over 

 £5,000 in value will be open to public competition. The result 

 of this move will be watched with much interest, and, if 

 successful, it will no doubt spread to the other colonies of the 

 group. But, even when Governments or Councils are not to 

 be relied on for setting an example, they might at least be 

 trusted to preserve us from actual detriment by the multi- 

 tudinous wires that disfigure our streets. These have been 

 placed underground in London and many other cities ; and why 

 not here ? Besides being a disfigurement, they are actually a 

 danger in case of fire, as fire-escapes cannot be raised in front 

 of buildings where they exist. 



The duty of the Government to encourage a love of art 

 amongst the people is not by any means overlooked in one 

 direction — namely, that of painting — as witness the small but 

 excellent galleries in the chief cities ; and if these, visited only 

 occasionally, are important as a means of education, how much 

 more so are the architectural compositions of the streets — the 

 ever-open gallery of the people ! Every encouragement that 

 Government can give to the improvement of city streets should 

 therefore be given ; but at the same time the fullest liberty 

 consistent with respect for the rights of others should be 

 allowed to individuals, for it is mainly through the individual 

 that any advance is made. 



The foregoing gives a brief outline of some of the features 

 that limit and give direction to the architecture of a modern 

 town. The result, as we see it, is too often dull and prosaic ; 



