MATERIALISM AND HOUSE PLANNING

New Zealand Listener, Volume 21, Issue 538, 14 October 1949, Page 5

MATERIALISM AND HOUSE PLANNING

Sir,-On Sunday evening, September 11, the 2ZB Forum discussed materialism. New Zealand to-day was said to be more’ materialistic than yesterday. Nobody observed that low incomes of the past kept people completely preoccupied with the difficult ' gaining of material things, and that better incomes of to-day allow time for other things. Hence the need for "bribery" of attractive conditions as well as high wages in advertisements for employees. Later the same evening, in ZB Book Review, Anne Stewart had the impossible task of reviewing four house-plan-ning books in the time normally given to one novel. Although referred to at the outset by the chairman as a "town planning expert" (obviously he read "town" for "house") she proved herself no expert in architecture and interior design. As broadcaster of a "household hints" programme she is undoubtedly expert, and one of 2ZB’s brighter assets, but it was illogical to expect her to review the work of qualified architects and designers. D. E.. Barry Martin’s Guide to Your New Home, quite the most practical and useful house book on sale in New Zealand, she thought too small despite its good points. His Modern Decoration and Furnishing she thought good in built-in furniture and other design sections, but hazy about fabrics and furnishings, thereby revealing that she did not know that these things are as much part of design as the rest of a house. Mr. Barry Martin’s handsomely produced furnishing book is the most

lucid and complete book of its kind I have ever read. Of the four books Miss’ Stewart briefly dealt with she handled best the Australian book of household hints-her own expert field.

REVIEW

FAN

(Paramata).