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LEGISLATION RESPECTING PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

57 VICTORIA, CHAPTER 29, AS AMENDED
BY 63 VICT., CHAP. 22.

HER MAJESTY, by and with the consent of the Legislature of Quebec, enacts as follows:

1.-Section first of chapter second of title seventh of the Revised Statutes is replaced by the following.

SECTION 1.

SAFETY IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

1.-INTERPRETATIVE AND DECLARING PROVISIONS.

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"2973. The words; "public building," mean and include churches chapels or buildings used as such, seminaries, colleges, convents and school-houses, hospitals and asylums, hotels and boarding houses capable of receiving ten or more boarders, theatres, halls for public meetings, lectures or public amusements, shops and stores of all sizes and buildings of three (3) stories or more over the ground floor occupied as offices.

"2974. The words: "proprietors of public buildings," include individuals, companies and corporations who are proprietors, tenant or in possession under any title whatsoever, of any of the buildings mentioned in the definition given in the preceding articles, and their agents.

2.-APPLICATION OF THE LAW.

"2975.-Saving such restrictions as the Lieutenant-Governor in Council may be pleased to determine in the regulations which he may make under article 2987, all public buildings mentioned in article 2973 are subject to the provisions of this law.

3.-SAFETY IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

"2976. The public buildings mentioned in articles 2973, must afford all the security required by this act and the regulations made under its authority.

2.-Public buildings now open to the public, and which would require too heavy expense to be made comfortable to the prescribed requirements, must, however, be made to conform thereto as much as possible, to the satisfaction of the Inspector.

3.-A new public building shall be so erected as to avoid at the outset all defects which it would be very difficult to remedy afterwards, and to this end, the architect's plans must be previously submitted to the Inspector.

4.-When extensive alterations are made to a public building, an architect's certificate as to the solidity and safety of such building shall be given to the Inspector.

5.-If the destination of a public building is so altered that greater solidity is required, an architect's certificate as to such solidity shall be given by the proprietor to the Inspector.

4.-DUTIES OF PROPRIETORS OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

"2977.-Every proprietor of a public building shall:

1.-Transmit to the Inspector a written notice, giving his name, the name of the building and its destination, as well as the name of the place whese it is situated, within thirty (30) days previous to the opening of such building to the public, if it be recently erected, and within sixty (60) days from the coming into force of this section, if it be at present open to the public.

2.-Transmit a written notification to the said Inspector of every fire or accident which occurs in such building, within forty-eight (48) hours from the occurence of such fire or accident.

3.-Provide such inspector with everything necessary for facilitating an effective inspection of the building and its dependencies.

4.-If the building is a theatre or hall for lectures or public amusements, have a certificate of inspection signed by the Inspector posted up, and keep it constantly there, whole and legible.

5.-INSPECTION OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS.

"2978. The factory Inspectors appointed in virtue of the fourth section of this chapter are assigned the duty of seeing to the observance of this section and regulations made under its authority.

"2979-The said Inspectors have, MUTATIS, MUTANDIS, the same powers and are subject to the same obligations, as regards safety, health and morality in public buildings, as those indicated in the said fourth section and in the regulations made by the LieutenantGovernor in Council, respecting safety, health and morality of employees in industrial establishments, in so far as the same may be applicable thereto.

"2980. They have the right to be present at inquiries held by the Fire Commissioners of Quebec Queb and Montreal, and at inquests held by Coroners in all cases of fire or accident in a public building, and to question the witnesses, in order to ascertain the cause of such accident or fire.

"2981.-They have the right to make to the proper authorities any suggestions they may consider advisable in the interest of safety in public buildings.

"2982.-They shall publish, in the QUEBEC OFFICIAL GAZETTE, such provisions of the law and regulations as they consider should be more especially made known to the public, and also publish their address therein.

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6.-CONTRAVENTIONS AND PENALTIES.

2983. Proprietors of public buildings who infringe the provisions of this section and of the regulations made under the authority thereof are liable to a fine not exceeding fifty dollars (50) and costs.

2. The incumbents, church-wardens or trustees owning churches or buildings used as such, under section first of chapter third of title ninth of these Revised Statutes, respecting lands held by religious congregations, and all other owning churches or buildings used as such in virtue of any other law, are subject to the provisions of this section, and, in case of contravention, are severally jiable to the penalties set forth in the preceding paragraph.

"2984.-Every proprietor of a theatre or hall, used for public meetings, lectures or public amusements, who, without the required certificate of inspection, allows such building to be opened to the public, is liable in addition to the fine indicated in the preceding article, to a penalty not exceeding fifty dollars ($50) and costs, for every day that such building so remains open.

2. On the report of the Inspector, the Commissioner of Public Works may order such owner to close the doors of such building until he has obtained the required certificate.

Such order may be executed by a constable of the municipal or provincial police force, either by preventing the public from entering or by causing the place to be closed

7.-JURISDICTION OF CERTAIN COURTS AND PROCEDURE.

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2985 -All prosecutions under this section are brought by the Inspector before the judges of the sessions or the police magistrate in the cities of Quebec and Montreal, and before the district magistrate or a justice of the peace of the place where the offence was committed if in any part of the province.

2-The procedure to be followed in such cases is that prescribed for summary convictions by the Criminal Code, 1892.

3-No prosecution shall be brought for any infringement of the law or of the regulations after sixty (60) days from the time such infringement came to the knowledge of the Inspector.

8.-APPLICATION OF FINES.

"2986.-The fines imposed under this section shall be paid to the Provincial Treasurer for the uses of the Province.

9.-REGULATIONS.

"2987. The Lieutenant-Govenor in Council may make regulations with respect to the buildings mentioned in article 2973, upon the following, amongst other matters:

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