H

CHAPTER 23.

[1st March, 1913.]

IS MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

R.S.B.C. 1911, c. 86.

1. This Act may be cited as the "Firearms Act Amendment Act, Short title. 1913."

instead of under

2. The "Firearms Act," being chapter 86 of the "Revised Statutes Under sixteen of British Columbia, 1911," is hereby amended by substituting the fourteen years word "sixteen" for the word "fourteen " wherever it occurs in sections 2, 3, and 6 of said Act.

of age.

VICTORIA, B.C.:

Printed by WILLIAM H. CULLIN, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty.
1913.

IS MAJESTY, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of British Columbia, enacts as follows:

1. This Act may be cited as the

Act, 1913."

R.S.B.C. 1911, c. 87.

66

Fire-escape Act Amendment Short title.

2. Section 2 of the "Fire-escape Act," being chapter 87 of the Amends s. 2. "Revised Statutes of British Columbia, 1911," is hereby amended

by striking out all the words in the second, third, and fourth lines

thereof, and substituting therefor the words following:

"Hotel """ means and shall include any apartment - house,
boarding-house, lodging-house, inn, tavern, public-house,

or place of refreshment where lodgings are let, furnished,
or provided for the public."

3. Section 3 of said chapter 87 is hereby repealed, and the follow- Re-enacts s. 3. ing is substituted therefor :

"3. (1.) Every owner, lessee, or proprietor of a hotel or public building exceeding two stories in height shall erect or cause to be erected on the outside of such hotel or public building at least one permanent open metal return fire-escape, together with such additional number of such fire-escapes as may be deemed necessary by the officer required by this Act to see that the provisions of the Act are complied with. If there is no fire-escape or the fire-escape in use is not considered sufficient by such officer, he may, by a written order served upon the owner, lessee, or proprietor of any hotel or public building, require one or more fire-escapes to be provided therefor, at such locations and of the style specified in this section; and within thirty days after the service of such order the number of fire-escapes required therein shall be provided and erected:

"Provided that if by reason of the default of any owner, upon reasonable notice in this behalf, any lessee or proprietor is compelled to erect a fire-escape under the provisions of this Act, then the said lessee or proprietor shall have a right of action or set-off against the owner for all actual necessary and reasonable disbursements by him made or incurred by reason of the default of the

owner.

"(2.) Each fire-escape shall connect with each floor above the first, and shall be of sufficient strength, well fastened and secured, and shall have balconies or landings not less than six feet long and three feet wide, guarded by iron railings not less than three feet in height, embracing at least one door or window with sash hung as a door at each story and connected with the interior by easily accessible and unobstructed openings. The balconies or landings shall be connected by iron stairs not less than eighteen inches wide, with steps of not less than six inches tread, placed at a proper slant and protected by a well-secured handrail on both sides, and shall have a drop-ladder not less than twelve inches wide reaching from the lower balcony or landing to the ground. A ladder shall extend from the top balcony of every fire-escape to the roof of the building, with a handrail on both sides extending at least three feet above the roof and bent over and firmly attached to the roof. The balcony floors of all fire-escapes shall be of metal and not lower than ten inches below the top level of the sills of such openings, which sills shall not be higher than twelve inches above the level of the floor inside the building.

"(3.) The windows or doors to each landing or balcony of every fire escape shall be adjusted to readily open so as to give an unobstructed opening at least two feet six inches wide and five feet high, and shall be located as far as possible, consistent with accessibility, from the inside stairways and elevator hatchways or openings, and shall, when possible, connect directly with a hall or corridor, and in any case where such connection is necessarily through a room the doors of such room shall not at any time be locked.

"(4.) The location of fire-escapes in all buildings shall be conspicuously indicated by placards or finger-signs in all main halls and at the intersections of all cross-halls, and all hotels, factories, workshops, schools, hospitals, assembly halls, theatres, and other buildings requiring fire-escapes, which are occupied at night, shall have all public halls, stairways, and passage-ways properly lighted, and a red light shall be kept burning during the night at the points of egress for each fire-escape; and there shall be kept posted in a conspicuous place in every sleeping-room a notice descriptive of the means of escape from the building in case of fire."

VICTORIA, B.C.:

Printed by WILLIAM H. CULLIN, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty.

1913.