STATE HOUSES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22774, 7 July 1937, Page 15

STATE HOUSES

ACTIVITY AT ORAKEI SEVERAL NEAR COMPLETION INGENUITY SHOWN IN DESIGN .Rapid progress is now being made with the construction of the first batch of the new Government houses at Orakci. The seaward slopes from C'oatcs Avenue present a scene of ordered activity, with about a couple of dozen houses taking definite shapo.from their skeleton frameworks of timber. There arc indications that several of the wooden houses at least should be completed within the next few weeks. The work proceeds daily to the cheerful accompaniment of hammering, but one note in the accustomed cacophony of building is strangely missing. One has only to watch activities for a few minutes to miss the sound of sawing. Practically all the timber used in the construction work is delivered 011 the job sawn in its appropriate lengths and in consequence one of the normal ifctivities of the carpenter has been largely eliminated. Varied Group Plans

Excellent progress has also been made 011 several of the houses which are being built in brick, and one is so far advanced that it is already roofed with bright blue tiles. Red tiles are beinjj used in the roofing of the majority of the houses, but even in this respect the designers have made provision for variety. Although the houses are being built from standardised designs, no two look exactly alike. Now that the structures are definitely assuming shape one can gain a first-class impression of the ingenuity with which ground plans have been varied and porches added in order to give variety of appearance. Compact Dwellings

Sonic of the houses in their uncompleted state look somewhat cramped with regard to interior accommodation, but they are undeniably compact. The sections, of course, are all small and, as a result of the recent feather, all the land in the vicinity of the houses has been churned into mud, indicating that a certain amount of improvement will have to be carried out in this direction before the houses are ready for occupation. On the lower slopes helow Coates Avenue some of the dwellings are being built on concrete foundations and are not as far advanced as those on more or less level sections. Every house in the group has a magnificent view down the gully leading to the Qrakei native settlement and then out to sea, and it is somewhat surprising that more generous window space has not been provided.