FLAT DWELLERS

Evening Star, Issue 21750, 19 June 1934, Page 2

FLAT DWELLERS

INCREASING TREND IN NEW ZEALAND SOME ADVANTAGES Of the changes that have taken place in tlie manner of life of New Zealanders since the wav the most noticeable is the development of flat dwelling. Two leading estate agents recently said that more and more people were now looking for Hals, and that the accommodation offered was much better now than it was even live years ago. It was mentioned that twenty years ago it was almost impossible to get a flat worthy of the name, and for the few that Were offered high rents were demanded. Practically all that was

Available was a room or so in a house whose occupants needed onj.v part ol it. and there had been no development of the idea of making flats selfcontained. with their own entrances, bathrooms, ami so on. ECONOMY, CONVENIENCE. “It is mainly on the score of economy. of convenience, and of handiness' that many persons' now prefer to live in flats.” said one agent. " They wish to cut down living expenses, to live in comfort and in quiet without having to do many of the jobs that are associated with taking a separate house. A garden means extra care. “ They realise now that in most houses they arc looking after more accommodation than they really need —every house has rooms which are used only in emergencies. A flat has appointments provided to meet the immediate needs of the occupants, and there is no provision for extras. Those are advantages to those who wish to save expense and labour hi maintaining a dwelling. “ Such things as -this show that the flat idea is much more popular than it was. .7 remember the first flats, but there was really no great advance for eight or nine years after that. It has taken the remaining time for a position to be reached where it can definitely be said that the idta of the flat has come to stay.” TYPES OF FLAT DWELLERS. Another agent »aid that those taking self-contained flats now fell into definite types. They included mainly spinster women with private incomes, a certain number of business men—mainly middle-aged men-—and widows with means. Younger people tended to take small flats that were really bedsitting rooms with ;i kitchenette attached. Nowadays more buildings were being put up specially to provide flat accommodation, and several of these of various sizes had been put up recently. .Many houses were also being converted into flats. “ The change in my opinion really means that, part of the natural growth of the population of the city is being absorbed into flats, partly because of the need for economy. We have found that people still prefer to get a house to themselves if they can find one near to the centre. Rents, however, are hardening, and that may have some effect, particularly for those who do not want to go far out in!o the suburbs.”