PISE DE TERRE CONSTRUCTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 July 1920, Page 9

PISE DE TERRE CONSTRUCTION.

EXPERIMENT AT WAI-TOI-TOI. (From Our Own Correspondent.) In connection with your leader of ( Saturday last dealing with the acute shortage of houses in New Plymouth, and your remarks on the "pise de terre" system of building, I might mention that an experiment in this direction has recently been carried out in Wai-toi-toi 1 by Messrs Spurr Bros., who have erected an implement shed on that method, tht dimensions "being 40ft by 16ft, divided into three compartments, and as far as can be judged at present the 1 structure promises to prove in every way satisfactory. The directions given in the article were practically followed, with the exception that no brick or concrete foundation was set down, the surface of Jhe soil being simply taken off till a hard bottom was reached, which was well tamped before the walls were erected. Of course mistakes were made, and tie Operations were greatly retarded by bad weather, but two or three points soon made themselves apparent. In the first place, it would seem that the material used should be practically dry, any moisture in the earth reeultisg in cracks in the walls. It was also found more advantageous 'to have sufficient casing to continue the wall to its full height. As there is practically Ohly 6in to 12in of black soil in this locality (and this contain* a considerable amount of fern root and fibrous matter) it was decided better to use the clay underneath; and here, again, it was found that the white' papa clay, similar to that in the Uwiti and Okoke flats, both rammed and set better than the lighter clay. Upon the completion of the walls, an application or two of boiling tar makes them impervious to the weather, and a mixture of. lime and sand on top of this gives the building a most finished api pearance. The walls in this case Vife 15in thick, but in the case of a dwelling, prdbably 18in to 21in would ber prefer-, able, as giving greater stability, and the cost would be very little more. In a locality where boulders Ire easily obtainable, a Suitable foundation could be made of stone and lime, and should not pfcve expensive. The better casing would seem .to be 12ifi X 2in planks with 6in X 3in uprights, as everything requires to be most rigid, the pressure caused by ramming —and this should be done thoroughly—being considerable. Visitors who have inspected the building, are of opinion that it has every chance of being permanent, and its cheapness cannot be denied. WHY NOT' TRY A COTTAGE. In your Special article dealing with the deplorable State Of affairs at present existing with regard to living accommodation in New Plymouth, I notice Mr. Day makes a suggestion that an area of ground might be set aside upon whiqli hutments or shacks could be built to relieve the congestion. What would be wrong with the Borough Council taking the steps to have the matter investigated and an estimate of the probable cost, etc,, of the pise de terre system obtained. From the experience gained in the building I have alluded to, it would seem fairly certain that an experienced contractor could, with a gang of competent workmen, erect a four or fiveroomed cottage in a few days, and the same casing could be used continuously. If iron rfiOnhg proved too expensive, or difficult to obtain, a shipment of suitable shingles could easily be procured, and these, properly put on and painted with a fireproof cement mixture, would last for years. A moderate rent, would more than pay interest on the outlay, and in a few months sufficient buildings could be erected to relieve, in a measure, the present regrettable state of affairs shown by your'reporter, with the consequent risk of epidemics.