DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 237, 4 October 1916, Page 8

DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE.

The subject;of domestic architecture vas chosen for the lecture delivered' by Mr. Thomas G.:Price before.the members >f the Ciric League on Monday evening. klrr- Baume presided, and in introducing :he apeaker caid she "was glad to see so nany'men"■who'"Sad "come" to"hear "tie eeturer upon euch an important subject is bousing. When m remembered what ;he housing problem in England bad seeoine—Philip Snowden had said there were eight million ■workers living round ibout a pound a week—we could realise what a problem it is there, and might jecome here' if interest -was not taken .n it in time. Mr. Priw, in opening his lecture, spoke jf the good work the Civic League was struggling to do for the interests of the town, arid said be -was only too glad to :ome along and help it if he could. "The 3jfikulty of the problem of securing cottage homes for -workers and their Families was keenly felt in England, fhis problem had been tackled by the employers of labour during the la*£t 30 rears. The first Koyal Ccmmkeion was ippointed in ISS4. and His Majesty, the late King., -was an active member. * Since then ranch had been done in the towns ot tie United Kingdom. In Xew Zealand the Government has -attempted to solve the problem by erecting workers' bomes; but this does not meet tbe need in rapidly extending cities like. Auckland. ■ The question was what kind of bouse -srill best meet the needs of the ixtisans? The increased cost of living made it very difficult for workers to live »nd contend -with rising land values. It was very unfortunate that the authori-ties-did not buy land for workers' homes. rhe extended tramways should be the property of the city, and with a bridge across' the harbour would place much land-at.the "disposal'of the people. The, Council should buy up parcels of land. and tier sell-it. at a reasonable rate. Municipal action in Great Britain has had the result that better housing ie to be found. - Auckland did not -possess much congested area, but there were many -wooden houses -which should be pulled down arid replaced by better buildings. This difficulty could only be overcome by building *u*ch dwellings as can be let at a moderate TentaL The aim should be to erect healthy and light rooms, which will pay a fair rate of interest, and yet tan be lefc'at a rent the tenants can afford-to par. The lecturer then -went into details* (with lantern elides) of the .proposed big hostel for unmarried .workers, the block of dwellings for the married workers, and the dual cottage. The three ideate -were economy of .'pace, minimum of : cost, and reduction of housework. Sis dwellings, in Clarence SiTeet were shown as examples of these desirable attributes. Pictures were shown of a combination range, 1 which not only supplies the heat for cooking, but for the '• washing -boiler, bath, and lavatory. This arrangement is considered good when space is valuable, and is also economical in its working results. Typfc of cottages for seaside resorti were shown, suitable for summer and warm in winter, built out of asbestos sheeting. and having. all the appearance of a permanent structure. The one shown on an octagonal plan .-was built in the letch■wortii Garden- City'Jor a cost of £150. Jji. conclusion., the lecturer dwelt on the need for more; attention to the question of Partisans'.*dwellings.' - ■ .'-Questions, we're .requested and some members of -the Audience commented un-f*v#arahjj,opon-both the'coit and tit

construction of the houses built hv the City Council, in which the'bathroom was .upstairs, and all ;tae~hot water had to be carried. Another speaker wished, to know whether the lecturer thought a rait.-of 17/6 a week was within the means of a working man. Mr. Prica explained that the competition which'he won for .these cottages gave a certain sum upon which to work "and did not give any indication of the'price" of the land, which "probably.,accounted for the rental. 'Mrs. Grossman n inquired "about J the high cost of flats in the city;and the j reason. The lecturex stated; that it was,; in his opinion, dependent upon the ground cost and the 'demand which evidently existed for this class of dwelling. At the dose a: hearty, vote of. thanks was carried to the speaker for his : interesting address.