NEW SUBURB

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 April 1939, Page 5

NEW SUBURB

COSY HOMES IN THE MAKING STATE HOUSING SCHEME. TRANSFORMATION OF MASTERTON AREA. Two years ago a 25 acre paddock in the vicinity of Cornwall and Tararua streets and bordered on the west by the railway line was nothing but pasture; today it is a hive of industry, for it is here that a new suburb of Masterton is in course of establishment. The area was acquired by the Government for its State housing scheme, which is now in active prosecution and modern dwellings are springing up almost like mushrooms, to provide cosy homes for a considerable number of Masterton residents.

Houses in all stages of construction are to be seen on the block. Altogether, there are' 54 either* already' completed or in course of construction and the locality is the scene of considerable activity on the part of builders, plumbers, drain-layers, painters and other tradesmen associated with building construction. Actually, 23 houses in this settlement are already in occupation and 31 are in course of erection, many being on the point of completion. Seven in Cornwall Street will be finished this week and probably another ten in a month or six weeks. MANY CONVENIENCES.

Finished either in brick or plaster or built entirely of wood, the dwellings have a wide variety of design and colouring that effectively avoids any suggestion of sameness. Plaster is being used largely to overcome the shortage of timber and at the same time it pro-* duces quite a pleasing finish. Tiled roofs contrast with the flat tops of parapet houses while two storey dwellings here and there relieve.the line of single storey houses. A feature ol the settlement is that all electric power lines and, drainage connections, are made 'from the back of the houses, so that the streets, when completed, will be without any disfigurement from poles and wires. Another innovation is the placing of the houses in such a position that the principal rooms are located where they receive the maximum amount of sunshine. Hence it is not unusual to find a house actually built back to the road. The idea is to provide the kitchen with the morning sun, to ensure that the living room enjoys the sun all day if possible and to so place the bedrooms that they arcin the sunniest position possible. The dwellings are decorated in a modern colour scheme, in the carrying out of which a lady employed by the Department is consulted. For exterior decoration there are many pleasing shades in evidence while interiors are finished in one of several creams, greens and blues. Each house nas hot and cold water over tubs, bath and sink; has either a gas cooker or electric range and ,a safe so built as to ensure complete ventilation for and food, besides the usual conveniences. Indqor aerials are fitted in every home. Copper piping is used throughout and the general standard of material is slightly better than that in the usual house. Every roof is ventilated. WORK STANDARDISED. Three local contractors are at present engaged in building the houses; and about 50 or 60 men are so occupied. including ten men recently arrived from Australia. The work is largely standardised, certain men carrying out the same class of work in various houses, such as laying the foundations, putting up the frame, placing the flooring boards in position, putting in baths, locks, etc. This system works out economically for both the contractors and the Government and the Department does not press for any one house to be finished off, although it may require very little to complete it. GROUND IMPROVEMENTS. All the grounds will,receive the attention of the Department's landscape gardener and tenants are at liberty to make any suggestions to him regarding the type of plant suitable for the position. The Department will supply hedges' for planting along the divisional fences at the back and sides and will plant a few shrubs in front ot the houses. Low concrete walls are to be erected in front of the houses and trellis fences between them. Provision is made for the erection of three community garages, each of which will accommodate 12 cars. The erection of .hese will depend largely on the number of tenants requiring car accommodation. It is understood that a fair number of tenants will requite gat age space. There are also two recreation reserves in the settlement. STREETS WITHOUT NAMES. Those people who already occupy State houses in the settlement are fac--3d with some difficulty in giving then address by reason of the streets being without names. It is suggested that the Borough Council, although it may be some considerable time before it takes over the streets, could conveniently consider the naming of the streets, as, this would overcome the difficulty facing the residents. Some have adopted the name of Tararua Street Extension but others at the other end of the settlement cannot claim any name at all for their streets. SCOPE OF SCHEME. The magnitude of the State housing scheme in Masterton may be gauged from the fact that probably another 10 or 45 houses will be erected on the block, bringing the total number to between 90 and 100. The average cost of each house is about £l3OO and about 30 per cent of that amount is absorbed in labour, a considerable proportion being in wages paid to men employed ,n the contracts. It is stated that there are more applications for the housed than it is possible to satisfy and for r period of two or three months applicaions were being made at the rate of one a day. BUILDING IN OTHER TOWNS. State housing schemes are also in hand in other parts of the Wairarapa. Twenty houses are planned in Pahiatua and of these, two are already occupied, and another two will piobably be finished within a month. Four are being built in Eketahuna and two of these will in all likelihood be completed this week. Six have been erected in Carterton and a start has been made in Greytown, where nine are planned. Within the next two or three months it is intended to erect seven in Martinborough and five in Featherston. The State housing operations in the Wairarapa and Bush districts are under the direction of Mr H. Sherbrook, district inspector of State houses.