THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1911. HOUSING REFORM.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10300, 1 August 1911, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, AUGUST 1, 1911. HOUSING REFORM.

There are noteworthy signsfin England of a widespread desire to improve domestic- architecture and housing generally. "Public Opinion." calls attention to the fact, as one of .great 'significance, tbait Mr H. Stanley Jwonis, Professor of Eoonomiicsi at Oardiiff University, Ihas- refsigned ibis position, in order io become, managing director of tine Housiing Reform Building Company, which liais been formed '''to improve the health wnd conditions of life of the collier population of South Wales." This means, says "Pxiblic Opinion," that a uuam. with a. national reputation in economies' "is going to prove that political economy is mot in itself a dismal science—'but that the only true political leconoimy is the domestic. economy whidh eisfcablisihesi people in> rtheii* liomes with full meants to keep them going, and, to ■train up children." English homes i

are being subjected to unsparing I criticism. It as admitted that there ha.s been a great improvement of late , years* —-Mr Arnold Bennett (thinks English domestic architecture far ahead of that of any other country die has .seen—But it is contended (that 'there is an immense amount to be done yet ib&i'ore the average, hornet, of even the modei-ateiy well-to-do are worthy of tire (nation. Several well-known- men have teen asked to state what ithey think is the- woiist feature in English houses. Mr Arm- | old Bennett appears- to ,tihi<nk it is "tine bairbaric fireplace method of heating," and Mr H. G. Wells, hold's ■a. .similar opinion. Hie says lie wantsto live "all over -has- rooms," but lias iii&vor been able to do so. Mr Arnold Bennett would make the living-room the most important feature, of tire i hloaise, and; cut down the dining- ] room, which in many houses is empty most of 'the day. The most notable contribution to the controversy comes from Sir Frederick Treves, the eminent surgeon.. He thinks the most deplorable .spectacle in 'England ito-day risi to be found inthe suburbs of any large, town, "where will he seen acre after acre of land covered with houses whose only oxfe-rnal features is ugliness, houses as free from any trace of diesign, ias a row. of packing cases, and ,so expressive of poverty of lirivention thai the ©a.me isorry feature is re- ' peated over and over again with the ! monotony 'of a-.sick man's bahbj ling." These wretched dwellings deI base public taste, make a. mockery ; of the idea of home, and foster the I ''melancholy that i,s supposed ito be an I English characteristic.