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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

WORKERS' HOMES

Sir—Your correspondent, "Practical, liko many others lately, objects to the term "workers' homes," without suggesting any to take its place. It is the generally accepted term all over the Empire and in America for the house whose cost is to be reduced to a minimum while providing as good conditions and as,much comfort as possible, So that I think it would be more worth while if "Practical" were to take as keen an interest as possible in the schemes that are being brought forward iustead of troubling aboiil a name; especially if he (or she) belongsto the class fur whom the houses are designed. The accommodation is tho first question, aud it is the workers themselves who finally settle this. The number of bedrooms are naturally decided by the size of the family; but what living rooms are required? Is it to be a living room and kitchenette as provided in the competitive plans to bo shown at the Town Planning Conference next month, or must there be a scullery, kitchen and sitting room, the kitchen to be used as the chief living room? This latter is the most popular plan at present, and seems the only possible one while the range has to serve the three purposes of heating the room, doing the cooking, and providing the hot water. With n small gas stove and a. fireless cooker the cookingcould be dono with far less labour and far less cost in fuel; but the latter would nerd to 'be used in the technical schools More the women could be persuaded that they were the great success they are, and induced to use them. There is a water heater-on the market that provides several gallons of boiling water in a few .jninutes after lighting, it burns wood aiid coke and most of the rubbish, and will supply all the hot water required by an ordinary family at a cost of *d. a day. it can be connected to a highpressure service, and its', initial, cost would be little if any more than the ordii:; > sij'-vk-o. Wit-n these arrangements there, would not be -the same wastage of liuM and lu'iit :w with the ordinary range; and there would not (hen be the necessity of having the range in the living room— a plan which can hardly be considered comfortable. But to return to "Practicars"'.lettcr. He says that the entrance' hall should be the most important part of the house. House-planning is largely a matter of ; compromise even when espouse is not the chief consideration] so would not "Practical" be willing to give up the imposing front hall for tho take of a big roomy i porch, which would be much better for the children to play, on than a narrow | M't. verandah; such, a porch, placed on the sunny side of the house, could also be usid as the chief living room in summer and on sunny days in winter, thus reducing the fuel bill; besides being of great benefit to the health of tho family. j Such a, porch to he (.mite satisfactory j should iiot have either front or, back door, opening on to it, as it should be. private, und would bo largely spoilt if it were made r. thoroughfare. The money that would be spent in arches, fanlights,' etc., would provide built-in wardrobes in the bedrooms, the arches costing far more than the average person imagines and built-in wardrobes less; and would not the family really get more benefit by thus spending the money : than Hv n<-'imr it on thing': that may iin- '. press the passer-by and the. casual visij tor, but which serve very little purpose i besides, for the front door and hall are seldom much used. "Practical" goes on to say: "After the entrance hall, the kitchen, scullery, bath and lavatory should be the next o/ importance. The two former 6hould be adjacent." Certainly, but should not tho two latter be adjacent to each other and also to the bedrooms?. It. would be hard to imagine anything more inconvenient (especially in cases of sickness)' than the planning of the ordinary small house, where this rule does not hold and where at least one living room forms a passage way. Why all "Practical's" bedrooms are to have fireplaces it is hard to imagine. I doubt if there are many people in New Zealand who give the children fires in their bedrooms, even when they can well afford the extra fuel, One bedroom with a fireplace is'all - that'is necessary iii'a small house, and often this fireplace can be dispensed with, and the sitting: room turned into a temporary sick room. If the idea was to have the fireplaces for ventilation it would be a very expensive and unsatisfactory method, as a flue is practically useless for such purpose when it is cold. If the houses have the furniture built in there would be a great reduction in the amount tof cleaning tho housewife would have, doing away with the shifting of heavy pieces of furniture and saving a great deal of wear nnd tear. It would, of course, put up tho cost of the house in the first place, but the 6aving in the furnishing would more than make up' for this. The hot water, of, course, is to be laid on to the bath and to a fixed basin in tho bathroom; having the latter, there would be no need of washstands in the bedroom, thus effecting another saving in work and in furnishing. Such' a house need not bo ugly. Beauty is often found jn company with simplicity, comfort, and common sense, and by dispensing with unnecessary ornamentation the workers May have comforts and conveniences they have always imagined far beyond their .reach.—l r.m, etc., COMMON SENSE.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19190423.2.82

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 178, 23 April 1919, Page 8

Word count
Tapeke kupu
969

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 178, 23 April 1919, Page 8

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 178, 23 April 1919, Page 8

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