Penalty for violation of Act. instruction, the exhibition of moving pictures, or for a place of public resort or amusement, all the doors shall be so hinged that they may open freely outwards. 2. Every owner, trustee, lessee, manager or operator of any such church, school house. theatre, hall or other building, who uses any such building or place of worship in violation of the provisions of the next preceding section, shall be liable to a penalty of not less than $25.00, nor more than $50.00 CHAPTER 5. An Act for the Prevention of Accidents by Fire in Definition of "'Hotel." Definition of " Be it enacted by the Governor, Council, and Assembly, as follows: 1. Hotel in this Act means and includes any inn, tavern, public house or place of refreshment where lodgings are let, furnished or provided for the public. 2. Inspector means the inspector appointed under 'Inspector. the provisions of the Nova Scotia Factories Act. Fire escape, stairways, &c. 3. (1) Every owner, lessee or proprietor of an hotel exceeding two stories in height, shall erect or cause to be erected at least one permanent outside stairway or ladder from the landings or floors, landing or floor, above the first story of such hotel and extending to at least said first story, such stairway or ladder, to be built of iron, and to be firmly attached to the wall of the building, and to be supplied with a hand rail on either side, and to be of sufficient strength to sustain the weight of at least six full grown persons at the same time, and every such lessee or proprietor shall at all times keep the way of passage to such stairway or ladder unobstructed and free of access. (2) If by reason of the default of any owner, upon reasonable notice in this behalf, any lessee or proprietor is compelled to erect a ladder or stairway under the provisions of this Act, then 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. 4. (1) The keeper of every hotel shall, where the Fire escape, same is more than two stories in height, provide and ropes, &c. keep in each of the sleeping apartments or bed-rooms which are situate above the ground floor a fire escape for the use of guests occupying the same. (2) Such fire escape shall be sufficient within the meaning of this Act if it consists of a rope not less than three-quarters of an inch in thickness, and of sufficient length to reach from the room or apartment in which it is kept to the ground below, and is kept in a coil or other convenient position in each of the said bedrooms or sleeping apartments; and if the outside window or opening of such sleeping apartments or bed-rooms is provided with proper, secure and convenient fastenings or appliances to which one end of the rope is safely secured or fastened. 5. In case any hotel is provided with outside sta- Certificate of tionary or other fire escapes, differing from what is inspector. herein provided for, by means of which, in the opinion of the inspector, a reasonably safe and convenient means of egress from the sleeping apartments or bedrooms is provided in case of fire, the same shall be deemed a compliance with this Act, so far as relates to all sleeping apartments or bed-rooms, from the outside or openings of which there is access to the said fire escapes; but the keeper of such hotel shall procure a certificate from the inspector, certifying to the efficiency of such stationary or other fire escapes. Notice in hotels for di escapes. 6. The keeper of every hotel shall, in each of his recting to fire sleeping apartments or bed-rooms, keep posted up a notice calling attention to the said fire escapes, and containing full directions for the use of the same, as well as a description of the outside stairway and the situation and means of egress to the same. Penalty for violation of this Act. Duty of in spector to enforce Act. 7. In case the owner, lessee or proprietor of any hotel neglects to observe any of the provisions of this Act, he shall on summary conviction thereof incur a fine for each offence of not less than $20 or more than $200, with costs of prosecution, and in default of immediate payment of such fine and costs, and there being no distress found out of which such fine and costs can be levied, shall be liable to be committed to the common gaol of the county wherein such offence was committed, for a period not exceeding three months, and such conviction shall not be a bar to a prosecution for any continuance of such neglect subsequent to such conviction, but such continued neglect shall from time to time constitute a new offence. 8. It shall be the duty of the inspector to take all necessary proceedings to compel the enforcement of this Act. CHAPTER 6. An Act Respecting the Construction and Maintenance of the Public Highways. (Passed the 31st day of March, A. D., 1911.) Preamble. WHEREAS, it has been proposed that an expenditure on capital account should be made by the Province of Nova Scotia towards the construction and improvement of public highways in the province in a more permanent and substantial manner than heretofore; And whereas, before incurring any such expenditure, it is deemed desirable that a careful examination should be made of the said highways, and that information should be obtained as to the most effective method or system of making such expenditure on capital account in order to secure the best and most permanent results; Be it therefore enacted by the Governor, Council, and Assembly, as follows: and survey of ways to be ported. 1. The Commissioner of Public Works and Mines Examination may cause to be made an examination, and, so far main highas is necessary, an instrumental survey of such of made and rethe main highways as are most essential to the improve- to Governorment of communication within the Province, and also in-Council. an inquiry into and a report to the Governor-inCouncil upon the following matters: (a) the best and most practical methods of road construction and repair in the Province of Nova Scotia; (b) the location, quantity, quality and availability of road-making material, together with the cost of the same, and costs and methods of transportation; (c) the most effective method of providing an organization for the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges, and the system of construction and maintenance best calculated to meet the requirements of the province; (d) the character, effectiveness and amount required of road-making machinery; and (e) the classification of the different highways of the province with regard to locality, amount of traffic and other conditions, and the methods. which should be applied in the case of each of such classes. may employ assistants, 2. The Commissioner may, for the purposes of Commission the next preceding section, employ such experts and experts and assistants as may be required, and may cause ex- and cause examinations to be made and reports secured as to and reports in methods employed in other provinces or countries, other provin aminations ces, &c. Report to be prepared. Costs of carrying out 3. The Commissioner shall cause to be prepared a report for the Governor-in-Council so that the same may be submitted to the next session of the Legislature. 4. Any sums required for carrying into effect the provisions of this Act shall be paid out of the Provincial Treasury. CHAPTER 7. An Act to Authorize the Granting of Aid to Electric Railways. (Passed the 31st day of March, A. D., 1911.) Preamble. conditions or guarantee bonds of WHEREAS, certain parts of the Province of Nova Scotia are remote from any steam railway; And Whereas, in some localities, not served by steam railways, the building and operation of electric railways would, from the amount of traffic capable of development, be practicable if assistance were given to the construction thereof; Be it therefore enacted by the Governor, Council and Assembly as follows: Governor-in1. (1) When any company Council may proposes to conunder certain struct an electric railway in the Province of Nova grant subsidy Scotia, and it has been shown to the satisfaction of the Governor-in-Council that such electric railway will serve a locality in and to which the means of communication are inadequate, and that the traffic capable of development by means of such electric railway is such as will render the successful operation electric roads. |