HOUSING SCHEMES

Taranaki Daily News, 12 March 1921, Page 9

HOUSING SCHEMES

HIGH COMMISSIONER’S INVESTIGATIONS. THE WALLER SYSTEM. London, Jan. 12. In further pursuit of information concerning the problem of housing, Sir James Allen accepted the invitation of the Poole Corporation to visit their new settlement near Bournemouth. Here the buildings, have been constructed on what is called the Waller system, and the High Commissioner will doubtless make a report to the New Zealand Gov eminent, which should be of considerable interest. These houses, erected on the Waller system, the invention of Major J. H de W Waller D. 5.0., late of the Royal Engineers, are claimed to be the "first completed under the Government subsidy scheme, and they have now been occupied for a long enough period to have given a very good indication of their qualities. The system is a determined effort to get away from the use of ordinary materials and methods of construction, and concrete is used for floors, walls, and roofs. The various parts of the houses are made at central depots in convenient sizes for handling with specially-designed constructional cranes, and are sent out on to the job ready to be lifted straight into place, when a small amount of in situ concrete is placed which unite the whole into a monolithic framed structure. In this way the work on the site is greatly reduced, and, as the central depots are roofed in, there is less delay through bad weather than with systems where the work is done largely on the site. The walls are formed of two slabs with a cavity between them, these slabs being constructed at intervals with columns. Between the slabs at ceiling level wall-plates are formed, which carry the joists of the floor. The outer slab is made of very high-grade impervious reinforced concrete, mixed with “wet,” and the inner slab of porous concrete made from crushed clinker. All the slabs are east the full height of the story in one piece. The roof, which may be formed with hips or valleys, as desired, is made in large sections, which lift straight into place. There are no horizontal joints, the water havinv a clear run off from ridge to eave, while the vertical joints allow for contraction and expansion, and are covered with a reinforced concrete capping. The surface of the roof on the houses in Poole is a rich, dark brown, and it is claimed that it is exceedingly effective. The roof surface can be made any color and any texture desired. Needless to say, there are no slates or tiles to blow off, no roof timbers to rot, and no possibility of leaking. Amongst the advantages of this system the inventor claims that the buildings are everlasting, and cannot burn, and upkeep is reduced to an absolute minimum. The use of unskilled labor is vitilised to the fullest extent, erection is speedy, and the buildings, not being dependent upon moulds for their erection, can be made of any shape with ease. Moreover, owing to the fact that they are framed, structures are capable of great variety of form. The cavity walls, with water-tight outer skin and porous inner skin, ensures a dry house, and one with equable temperature, winter and summer. Finally, construction is cheaper than with bricks, although this is not the main advantage.

Lond'on, Feb. 28. Evening papers make a feature of the scenes on the Sydney cricket ground. The Star says: The question of allowing players to cable criticisms during future tours will now undoubtedly settle itself. The Australian crowds had not forgotten Wilson’s earlier complaints against the umpires’ ruling.

The Westminster Gazette says: The match was marked by a great deal of barracking. The crowd was up in arms at Wilson’s and Fender’s cables, but whatever the barracking Hobbs may have received earlier he certainly had a remarkable reception in the second innings.