HOUSES IN THE HUTT VALLEY

Korero (AEWS), Volume 3, Issue 8, 21 May 1945, Page 20

HOUSES IN THE HUTT VALLEY

A KORERO Report

In the Housing Survey of 115 local districts in 1935, nearly 7,000 buildings used as dwellings in various parts of New Zealand were pronounced totally unsatisfactory. The equipment of more than 20,000 was consideied inadequate, while 27,200 were found to be providing accommodation below the minimum standard. To crown these figures, it was estimated that more than 68,000 people could be regarded as surplus persons living in dwellings below the minimum desirable standard. These were startling figures when considered in relation to the population density of the Dominion. The explanation of the housing shortage lay partly in the fact that in the depression years building fell off considerably; then when better times came, marriages increased and many people were unwilling to continue sharing a dwelling with other families as they had done during the years of hardship. To cope with the situation a programme of housing construction by the Government was begun in March, 1937. This programme has since been prosecuted as vigorously as the war has permitted. The outbreak of the war made it necessary to transfer certain plant and machinery to the urgent work of constructing aerodromes, military camps, and installations. It also meant the release of a large number of workers for the Forces. The situation became yet more urgent with the entry of Japan into the war. This practically stopped the scheme, and for two years only a few houses were completed. For the last year, however, the Government has pressed on with the preparation of building sections and housing construction in most of the main centres in the Dominion to the Emit of man-power and materials available. Since the beginning of the State Housing Scheme till April 30, 1945, the Construction Department had completed

nearly 18,000 homes throughout the Dominion. There were at this date, in addition, some 3,500 homes under construction, and about 1,700 let to contracting organizations, but upon which work had not begun. Houses are being handed over to the State Advances Corporation at a rate of about 2,100 a year, a rate which is increasing. Many houses have been built in the Hutt Valley, within the boundaries of Lower Hutt City. Building is still going on there, and it is estimated that some 7,400 house units will have been erected in this area when the full scheme is completed. Other State housing projects, which are part of the same plan, have already been completed in the Woburn and Waterloo areas, where about 1,800 houses are now occupied. Attention is now concentrated on the area north of Waterloo, stretching as far as the Taita Gorge. Between these two limits houses are being built in areas known as Epuni, Nae Nae, Waddington, and Taita. The Epuni scheme is nearing completion, and considerable progress has been made in the three other districts, where many homes are already tenanted. Epuni, Nae Nae, and Waddington lie approximately adjacent, but the Taita block is half to three-quarters of a mile to the north and west, on the opposite side of the main road running to the Wairarapa. The four blocks totax in area about 1,200 acres, and were previously occupied mostly by small farms and market gardens. Much of the hillside section of the Waddington block was cleared of gorse and scrub by the Department before building was begun. This area had previously caused anxiety to its tenants owing to flooding and uncontrolled storm-water. The streams have been tapped where they issue from the hills and led by a system of artificial courses through green belt reserves to the head of the Waiwhetu Stream. On the floor of the valley a swamp area which was regularly

flooded to a depth of several feet has been successfully drained, and will form part of the main sports ground for this section of the Hutt City. The open drains used for this will be treated as artificial streams. It is intended to plant avenues of trees along their banks, creating a reserve from 70 ft. to over 1 ooft. wide, with paths following the water-courses. The planting of grass and shrubs will transform the area into a small but pleasant park. Approximately 1,000 homes have been constructed or are being built in the Nae Nae - Waddington blocks. About 200 houses are already occupied. The Taita block is somewhat less developed. Although the general land surface is almost at one common level, housing construction is greatly complicated by a maze of old water-courses which intersect the site. In one place stop-banks are necessary to avoid flooding. Every effort is being made to construct roads along ■existing channels. This serves the triple purpose of siting the houses above roadlevel, saving the cost of filling up the channels, and avoiding the building of homes upon filled landusually an unsatisfactory business. The Epuni block was the earliest in this part of the Hutt Valley, and the buildings, except a comparatively small block of about 100 houses and the commercial zone opposite the site of the future

Epuni Station, are completed. In the Epuni area can be seen at least two streets which are particularly pleasing to the eye. Here it has been found possible to lay electrical and telephone services underground, so abolishing at one blow two typical New Zealand eyesores—the power and the telegraph poles. The footpaths are unencumbered except for an occasional tall, tapered concrete lamp-standard crowned with a white-frosted globe. These standards are simple in design and add to the appearance of the streets they serve. A shopping centre is planned in each of the blocks, but that at Nae Nae will be the largest. Here the central block, containing the shopping area, will enclose a large courtyard laid out in lawn and flower-beds, with paths connecting the two sides. Provision has also been made at Nae Nae for a light industrial area of some 30 acres, sited very close to the commercial centre. Business firms which lease sites here must agree to lay out and maintain the vacant space about their buildings, and must provide ample space between their buildings and those of their neighbours. The size and position of advertising hoardings and trade signs will be strictly controlled. The type of undertaking to be started will also be critically reviewed, so that residents will be spared the more undesirable sights,

sounds and smells of industry. Prospective householders may therefore rest assured that there is no chance of their finding themselves living cheek by jowl with a glue-factory or a gas works. Turning now from the general layout of these housing blocks to the houses themselves, it must be stated at the outset that these homes bear none of the sheeplike similarity of some of the large-scale housing schemes of the past. The Housing Department architects have drawn up a large number of variations in design from relatively few basic types. To quote an example there are at least forty widely differing house designs evolved from only three basic plan types. These are not all the variation possible, but it will easily be seen that ample scope has been assured for individuality of design among the houses of any one block. You may look along a street lined with newly erected houses without seeing any two that are strikingly similar. When the houses have been occupied for some time and the occupiers have cultivated their gardens to their own taste, the dissimilarity is even more marked. Most of the homes are completely detached, though here and there, to make more economical use of the land, they may be of the twin or triple unit type. They have two, three, or four bedrooms, and rents vary from approximately 255. a week for a two-bedroom house to about 325. a week for a four-bedroom one. The larger homes have separate dining-rooms, but the smaller houses, as a rule, have a dining recess off the kitchen, for those who are reluctant to have meals in the living-room. Houses are sited to ensure that the rooms most often occupied will have as much sunlight as possible. And so although the front door of a house may face the street, the real front may be on the side away from the street. This arrangement has been used in several houses on the higher ground of the Waddington block. It gives the main rooms sunlight for most of the day and a fine view across the Hutt Valley. The interior walls of houses are not left as white or cream plaster, but are almost invariably papered. It has been found that the plain white walls can be so

easily marked that it is not worth while to leave them in this state. Although it is plainly not possible for tenants to choose their own wallpapers before moving into a house, very careful consideration has been given to the choice of suitable papers. A wide range of colour is used most are pale shades which reflect the light well—and in no houses are the old dark and heavy designs to be found. Kitchens are painted in an enamel finish, so that walls and cupboard doors can be easily washed down. Electric cookers are standard equipment, and very ample cupboard space is provided. The kitchens are free from superfluous obstructions, and it should be very simple to keep them clean and tidy. An electric hot-water service is also part of the standard equipment, a linen cupboard being built round the boiler. Bathrooms are compactly designed and are equipped with up-to-date accessories. All baths are built-in, and the bathrooms are enamelled throughout. Most of the houses are built of timber with weather-boards or brick veneer exterior walls. But to-day’s shortages of men and material are forcing new methods and materials to be tried out. In an attempt to speed up housing construction, extensive experiments have been made with prefabrication. In the Nae Nae block several hundred houses have been built by this method and have proved very satisfactory. However, shortages of material have prevented the full and most efficient development of prefabrication. Because of the timber shortage, experiments are being made by the Housing Department in the use of various types of concrete construction. It is a shortage of timber in the first case, but an overall shortage of material and fittings that is the principal worry of the Department to-day. Labour also is scarce, but it is hoped that the return of many men from overseas may help to improve this. To end this article, here are answers to some of the questions sometimes asked about State houses :— i. Does the State actually build the houses? -

All the houses are built by private contractors except those erected by men being trained in house building by the Rehabilitation Department. Building contracts are let by tender to contractors, who employ their own men on the job. The size of each contract depends upon the capacity of the contractor. A small business may undertake the building of

three or five houses, the large concern may easily contract to build fifty. The contractors will in turn call in the aid of sub-contractors, who will do the electrical, the plumbing, and the plastering work in the houses. The Government employs overseers whose duty it is to see that all goes well on each contract. One overseer will probably have many contracts to look after. The number depends upon the size of each individual contract. The town planning and subdivision is done by the town planners, engineers, and surveyors of the Housing Department, and all the designing of houses and community buildings and building construction is carried out under the control of the Housing Department Architects. 2. Are the interior fittings of good quality, or does the Housing Department try to save money here? The Housing Construction Department has set out to build a moderate-sized house of low enough initial cost to enable it to be let at a very moderate rental to

the lower and middle income groups. Judged by the standards required by the average man, the fittings and finish are of excellent quality. The interior finish of houses of the Housing Department is often identical with that found in homes costing a good deal more. 3. Is it true you cannot hang pictures where you ivish in a State house?

Partly true only. If you build a home of your own with plaster walls you do not, unless mentally defective, hammer nails into the plaster. You first put wooden plugs in the wall. In State houses a wood backing is inset between studs in the wall at a height of 6 ft. 6 in. from the floor. You may put nails or screws into this. The wooden backing is, of course, invisible when the interior finish is completed. Like any other landlord, the Housing Department has natural objections to tenants indiscriminately punching holes in the walls of its property. - 4. Is it trite you may not keep domestic pets in your Government house? No, it is not true. You may keep a cat, a dog, a canary, or all three if you feel like it. Wherever you may live, you cannot keep a pet which your neighbours unanimously pronounce objectionable or dangerous. This has nothing to do with the Housing Department, but is a universal by-law.

5. Can you keep a car if you live in a State house? Yes. Provision has been made for the building of garages on most sections, and some have been built. At the moment the Housing Department regards the building of houses as of more importance, but many garages will be built when times are easier. On certain hillside sites where there is no space for individual garages or where there is difficulty of access, communal garages are to be built. 6. Is it true that you cannot have your garden as you like it, but must do as the ■neighbours do? No. A tenant may cultivate his garden as he wishes. The State provides concrete paths, a tool-shed, clothes-lines, and fencing, and in other ways, such as providing shrubs and advising on layout, actively encourages its tenants to take a pride in their gardens. A rebate on rent is given to those tenants who try to improve their homes by tending the garden. Conversely, any one lazy enough to allow his surroundings to go to wrack and ruin will probably find himself penalized in the matter of rent, to the tune of perhaps 2S. 6d. a week. Any one who has seen a well-established housing scheme is struck by the obvious pride taken by tenants in their gardens. A householder finds public opinion heavily against him if he neglects to do his small part in keeping the appearance of the neighbourhood col-

ourful and attractive. To this extent there is pressure to do as the neighbours do, but most people make a pleasure of the duty. So large a housing plan as that being put into operation in the Hutt Valley opens up an entirely new transport problem. The additional population housed when the programme is completed will be nearly 21,000. The passenger transport service is in the hands of the Railway Department, and at present is mainly by motor-bus connecting with the train to Wellington at Petone. At rush hours additional through buses are run to cope with the load. The Eastern Hutt railway is being extended to serve the new areas, and it is expected that it will soon be in service. It is planned that this will eventually be the main line to Upper Hutt and beyond, and it will without doubt be electrified as soon as the necessary equipment can be obtained. This with a feeder bus service will provide rapid and convenient transport into Wellington and within the area. The Housing Construction Department has yet more ambitious plans to be carried out at Tamaki, Auckland. Here it is intended to build what amounts to a city of about 8,000 homes and 30,000 people. The work done by the department is everybody’s business, and this article may help to let you know what is going on.

KORERO INFORMATION SERVICE

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