REPORT ON HOUSING

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 8, 5 October 1920, Page 3

REPORT ON HOUSING

BY WOMEN'S COMMITTEE OF TOWN . PLANNING ASSOCIATION

ESSENTIALS FOR HOME OP average family

. Spine time ago the Town-Planning Asfpociation was invited by the chief architect of tho Labour Department's Housing Branch to submit a report on bousing from the women's point of view. This report has keen prepared by the women's committeo of tho association (Dr. D. E, Platte-Mills, president), and forwarded to the Department. In its report the coiumiLtee states that in view of the fact that hundreds of houses are to be built immediately iu different parts of New Zealand, and in order to check tho prevailing tendency to construct them in the old,' uncomfortable, labour-creating style, which fives rise to so much, ill-health amongst mothers, and distaste for home life anil its duties on the Dart of daughters, it has deemed it advisable to draw up t> snort emergency report embodying thoso details which. it unanimously considers to be the minimum standard essential for the health, convenience, comfort ana decency of the average family, where tho mother does her own 'housework and brings up the children. The committor believes that by concentrating upon wellplanned interior arrangements,and «iu plicity of style, rather Hum upon exterior decorative effects, which only make a cheap house look cheaper, the initial cost of building would not be increased. The committee considers thnt the following are essentials for the home of an average family:— 1. Concrete or brick bdildings are preferable to wood. Wood must be seasoned before usin.7. 2. The house should be so planned and placed that every room has the niaxi- • mum amount ot light, sunshine and fresh air. The floor should be raised from the ground to allow ■of freo ventilation beneath, and the section should be so arranged that no water can accu- . mulate under the house. . , 3. All rooms and conveniences should Ire under one roof; if any part is detached '(washhouse, lavatory, etc.), it Bhould be reached by a covered way. 4. For suburban houses no section should be loss than one-eighth of an acre, and no frontage less than 40ft. 5. A good. water supply, and means-for Obtaining hot'-water quickly and econ. omically as regards both labour and fuel. G. Good drainage, however simple. 7. To meet reasonable requirements, the house should contain three bedrooms, sitting room, kitchen-living room, pantry, coalhouse or bin, bathroom with hot and cold water, washhouse, lavatory or water closet and shed. All rooms Bhould be convenientlv arranged round an entrance hall or lobby, and the aspect so considered that the kitcheii-liv-r0 m U k e suniiy and the pantry* cool. The entrance doors should be uliel tered from tho prevailing winds, and the front door should be placed on one-side or the "hall, rather than in the centre, to allow room for a hall stand or tablo. 8. The kitchen-living room is usually the centre of home life and should bo warm and comfortable. Doors and winflows should be so placed that the fireside is not spoilt- by draughts-dunn;; the (lily ike smallei children play, and in the. evening lessons and sewing are done m this room. If a range is used it shoula be raised on two or three layers of bricks, so that the housewife •will not Uiave t:j stoop so much when cooking; where small gas ranges are installed, these also should bs raised on bricks, (rhe'largest size of-gas range ias the top at about the right height without the bricks.) Either' a good range, with rack for heating dishes and oiling clothes, or gas or electric stove; sink, wiln draining board on either side, and hot and cold water taps (nickelled) conveiiicmlv arranged so that kettles may be filled with ease; cupboards, meat end nii.k safes, are all essentials. The height of the sink from the floor should Do tlio best for the average woman. Open shelves are preferable to a cupboard be.lieath the sink. The kitchen arrangein"'?'- i 3 f v m uf a kitchenette, in which case the living room Would have an open fireplace •' (and safety tfcree'!-- or tho old-fashioned, but popuripnlv I'T'Vif 1 1)!l " try ' the latter with S y 01 ,.?. he1f , r00m ' meat and milk eafe 3 partitioned off and properly veilatcd'i 1\ e scu!lw >- shoulS l« free from di'aughte, well lighted and venfalated. 1 he.most convenient arrangement i.s io have the pantry and scullery opening from the kitchen; or toe sink awj be in an alcove on one side of tho the kTtcheii. not lje dually in anv Jmi'l! Sh ° u!ll bo "°' stc P 5 between *nj ot the rooms, nor between kitchen and scullery or pantry. jn^i,^' llo fitting room—generally nsed f?„ enlngs wJlon quiet is needed, or If ..i , ' 01 ? s ? hedroom in cases of sickness—must be a, passage room aust have a fireplace, no built-in Bupboard should bo placed b Ween the ; fireplace and the wall on tho 'cosy side an easy chair or sola here would be free from draughts The f •» it"" 1 » TSLISSZ" plnee s - houl(l be provided XQi fuel, under cover, and large onourdi or iht l " & 1 I,fllf « , W ls coke and wood. A ] laige bm filled from outside, 'but com- 1 fe U advted° WUh kilc,lcllette cr 'scullery,' 12. The bathroom should have hot and CO l!} ,:i; atc , r ' and hand-basin. JJ. Ihe layatorj' must be separate from ba 1 room. An outside w.e/ should be wider cover, well ventilated, well lighted, and st.ricjy hygemc in its arrangement, It nhculd b© .placejl in as secluded and convenient a position as possible. ♦llltVT n ed^l i ,s , shoul(l ho wH venJ- . i l ' liffhted, and, under present circumstances, where neither gas nor electricity is freely available for radiators, one bedroom should have a firefft M k ,nfl °?i" s f hol,ld be than Bft. by 10ft., with dows and windows bo arranged that, if necessary tho roem will contain two single beds, chest of drawers, and wardrobe. cu Pho.inls in connection with the kitchen; a linen press, not in - the bathroom, and preferably with h:t water pipe tlirough it; n-id hanging wi>rdrohe OT n? N.i ln t,nch bL ' ,llntlm are essentials. . IG. the wash-house should have a copper, and. at least two tubs, preferably two on each side of the cupper, all with hot and cold taps, so placed. Clint in emptying the- water runs freely towards the plubs, the taps being at the right land and the plugs at the opposite end • of the tubs. There should ba good lHit Bnd ventilation. The wash-hcupa should be large enough to contain a bicycle and ' pram; otherwise a shed is needed. 17. All houses should be urepared for being served by electricity' as soon as power is available. This means siinply leaving the necessary openings in the concrete or brick to allow of the entrance of the main wire.