HOUSEWIVES'VIEWS ON HOUSING

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 79, 28 December 1918, Page 4

HOUSEWIVES'VIEWS ON HOUSING

REPORT BY LADY EMMOTT'S SUB- ■ :: . COMMITTEE. - • .-• A first -interim report by the Women's Housing 'Sub-C'onmnttee of 1 he , "Ministry of.Kecoustructioii's Advisory Council was issued recently .in ..a British White Paper. The committee, of which. Lady Emmott is chairman,, point out that, in accordance with their terms of. reference, they have.considered , the housing question from tho housewife's'standpoint, The , following na'o their, principal •' recommendations :— An increase in the total .superficial area of houses, a wide" being preferred to a • narrow frontage. .' ■ Each house to ..contain,'as-.a nunimum,' three ground floor rooms (living room, parlour, and scullery), and three bedrooms above, two of them capable of containing two beds.. Larder iind bathroom essential. - .-. ■ ■> Front doors to open into a,lobby. Use. to be avoided of .sunk innt-wellsj which are dust traps. Size of living room,- if necessary, to be increased at sacrifice of size of parlour. . . ....-■-.. A separalo bathroom, securing complete privacy, and js.ii adequate , but simple system of hot iiml cold water supply. Further pxpen'inipntal.- work ■to decide as to the possibility of a, central hot water .system for one square or row of houses. : • : '. ' . Area of larder not to bo less than 15 square feet. . •■ ...... Further experiments in regard to best methods of ventilation for bedrooms without fireplaces. A hanging cupboard to be fixed in. at least one. bedroom. Not more than twelve houses to..the acre, a garden for every, house, and -a common playground for each considerable group of houses. The sub-committee recommend selfcnntniiifd flats- for all families, and suggest cottage Huts as .suitable only for old people, childless couples, and single persons. ' '~..''