THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 1920. EARTH HOUSES.

Wairarapa Age, 31 March 1920, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 1920. EARTH HOUSES.

In., a recent issue of this paper reference was made to the experiments in England in the erection of cheap houses of rammed earth. It was claimed for these houses that, besides being impervious to vermin, they were sanitary to a degree. This claim has beta disputed, and the value of earth houses is severely discounted. In "Municipal Engineering" of January 22 there is a - special report on the subject by Mr. R. Croome, surveyor to the Cromer Urban District Council. He describes the methods employed in building and sums up unfavorably to the earth houses. He says a onestonfey earth house would probably be as costly'as a two-storey brick house having similar accommodation. He points out, too, that tho fact of the ground occupied by a one-storey building being 85 superficial yards ; greater than a corresponding two storey*' building is a most serious matter in an urban district; either the garden area is reduced or the plots must be enlarged in area, increasing ■the cost of road : making, sewering, drainage, and land. In addition, the ,roof area is more than doubled. That the rammed earth walls need some protection from tho weathor was, he said, proved by the provision of wide bverhanging eaves and tarred base, dad they also lend themselves to damage by children and other causes, owing to the lack of extreme surface ■hardness. "Municipal Engineering," commenting on the report, says: '' Few surveyors could be found, we imagine, whb could recommend the adoption of pise walling for houses, as it will Inevitably become insanitary , and Constitute a harbour for the organisms of infectious diseases and for vermin and insects. How soon such a house t will be condemned by health officers |'as unfit for human habitation it would [ not be difficult to predict, and, ["although Mr'. Croome' did not include j these objections in his report, he very properly advised his council that pise cottages could not be recommended for any .urban housing schemo. " ■