WOMEN ARCHITECTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 24, 29 January 1926, Page 6

WOMEN ARCHITECTS.

! Among tlie many professions now jopen to women, tlint of architecture has j not, perhaps, attracted the attention ;it deserves. This, at least, seems to !be the opinion of Miss Dora Lewis, a [Melbourne student, who has recently J won. the Royal Institute of Architects' travelling scholarship. She thinks that the feminine touch could revolutionise architecture, and devise homes that would be far move adapted for modern conditions than most of Hiosc designed by men. Homo still is woman's sphere, and must remain so despite all attempts at what is sometimes called emancipation. Consequently, it is only natural that women should have a far better idea of what is required in a house than men have. To the pro- ' fessionnl male architect the designing of a house is often much a matter of routine, and, although externals have been much improved, and the modern bungalow is artistic to the eye, and often convenient as fur as the designing of the rooms is concerned, yet in those small conveniences which do so much to save labour, much is frequently lacking. It hardly seems conceivable that the most confirmed misogynist should devise a house with the pantry on the top floor, as Miss Dora Lewis declares is sometimes done, but houses nre frequently designed without those cupboards and shelves in which the true housewife so much delights. In larger 'countries women architects are sometimes employed by large firms for the express purpose of giving assistance in the planning of labour-savin? devices in homes. This is not possible among smaller communities, but many women might find employment as consulting architects, and especially in the matter of interior decoration they could do much to render valuable service in adding those small touches which do so much to beautify a room. In days when domestic help was more easily obtained, there was not the same need for labour-saving devices as exists today. In the majority of homes the wife has to do the work herself, with such little assistance as she may be able to obtain from occasional help for the day. Under these circumstances, the small conveniences to which Miss Dora Lewis refers become a necessity, and women are far more in a position to understand in what direction labour can be saved than men are. Perhaps some compromise might be effected by allowing male architects to devise the general plan of a house, and leaving it to women architects to devise those little interior fittings on which the comfort of a housekeeper so much depends. Certainly it seems reasonable that those who have to keep the home and do the work should be allowed a greater voice than at present in the task of desieniiis? it. ■ s Of all the office-workers in the city, those employed in solicitors' offices are the most fortunate during the present short holiday, for the members of the legal profession have declared a holiday I for Saturday morning, thus providing j their employees with a clear three days' j spell, and enabling many to go away who would have been prevented from doing .so had they been forced to return to their places of business for the halfholiday to-morrow. i

The sharp crack of a gun and the i eound of bugle notes drew the attention iof the large number of spectators who ! lined the new section of the Rattray j Street wharf, Dunedin. The unusual j sounds came from the after part of the ■ French sloop C'assiope. It was 8.15, and at ' the first sound of the bugle each member i of the ship's crew ceased whatever work he was engaged in, turned smartly to the left, at the same time drawing his white cap from his head with a quick sweep of the left hand, and standing rigidly at attention until the last note of the bugle had died away. The firing of the pun and the long bugle call was some part of the French naval regime. While standing at attention every man on board faced the blue, white and red ensign of France, which floated proudly iin the light breeze from the stern of the Cassiopec. The primary schools of the province will re-open on Monday with approximately 03.000 names on the rolls. The question of half-days during the sultry weather in February ha* been dealt with by the Education Board, who havp circularised headmasters, pointing out that the regulations require that schools be open for at least 4wO half-days ea-cli year, and (hat it is undesirable that a school should be closed so frequently during the coming month as to interfere with the rules. A special meeting of the executive of the Auckland Primary School Committees' Association was held la*t evening, nt which it was decided to recommend to th" chairmen of the school committees of the Auckland district the advisability of fixing the school hours during the month of February from fl a.m. to 1 p.m.. with a short interval for refreshments, with a view to having uniformity throughout the district. Glistening like a jewel the Auckland Harbour, as seen from vantage points along the waterfront to-day, presented itself at its best. The wide expanse of blue water was dotted with yachts in full sail, motor launches, ferry boats, and speed boats, all combining to make a wonderful sight. The flagship, Kaimiloa lay at anchor gaily bedecked with bunting, while H.M.s. Diomede lay some distance further away, giving a picturesque touch to the surroundings. The yachts presented a great sight as they raced up the harbour, while the fully loaded excursion boats and launches sailed on their way in seemingly endless numbers. 'The speed boats, cutting through the sparkling water, loft in their tracks the white foam as they circled about the yachts and launches. On all points overlooking the harbour were crowds of people, while the harbour was alive with small craft. There is one member of the Wellington cricket, team who will return to Wellington with the feeling that although he has shared in a defeat, he has yet won a victory which should at least bring joy to the hearts of some of his lady friends should he elect io pay : freight on the half-hundred weight or so of chocolates he won at the exhibition on Saturday night (states the. "Otago Daily Times" , ). One thing i s certain, and that is the genial Wellington allrounder on future visits to the Amusenuuit Park will be viewed with cold suspicion by the proprietors of the "four-fni-a-bob" skittle alley*. Out of five shots, four were successful in clearing oft" all the standing skittles, and the bowler's pile of prizes began to mount. At the fifth shot the agonised proprietor, with visions of a possible bankruptcy if such a state of things were allowed to continue, wailed, "No. no, for goodness sake go away, mister!" , A correspondent from Hawera writes to the "Dominion" inquiring why the State Advances Department declines to receive any application for loan on mortgage to repay existing mortgage to a Government Department. "The case in point." adds the correspondent, "is a refusal by the Department to entertain an application for n loan to repay a Government Life Insurance Department's farm mortgage, which iR running overdue at (H per cent. The security is ample and the application regular and in order. ,. The Department's reply states: "It is not possible, owing to the demands made on its resources, for the State Advances Department to entertain applications for loans in cases where the money is required for the purpose of repaying mortgages held by other (Government Departments. It. is obvious to anyone acquainted with the position that it is neither advisable nor expedient for the Advances Department to provide funds sufficient to enable it to repay loans held by other Government lending departments. The Advances funds are fully required to assist applicants to redeem loansobtained from private sources." There is always an element of risk in riding a bicycle without the hands on the handles, and a boy who attempted this while crossing Grafton Bridge to-day will think twice before he. attempts to do it again. He was riding over the bridge in the manner of a trick cyclist when his front wheel bumped, and before he knew where ho was he had been thrown to the ground. Fortunately he escaped with only a cut knee and a" few bruises. Two railway employees had a narrow escape from being killed, almost colliding with the 6 a.m. goods train on the Taumarunui skle of Manunui. The train was running about 20 minutes late, and the men, thinking it had rmssed. were travelling on a jigger in the direction of Manunui toward the approaching train. When they saw the train through the fog it was almost upon them, and they only escaped by jumping from the moving jigger, which was struck by the train and completely wrecked. The postal revenue for the quarter ended December 31 was £381.292, compared with £373,073 a year ago. The telegraph revenue amounted to £497.196, against £473,998 in the previous corresponding period. These figures include £289,.t70 from telephone exchanges, compared with £269,083 in the December quarter of 1924. Reconsideration of their request for a donation to their funds to enable them to compete at the Dunedin Exhibition contests was asked by the Auckland Artillery Band in a letter read at last night's meeting of the City Council. It was resolved to contribute £5 5/. In their endeavour to have the name of Waimarino railway station altered, stating that they had suggested to the Minister of Railways as appropriate names "National Park." or "Ruapehu," the Waimarino County Council wrote to the Auckland City Council asking support in the matter. The council decided to approve of Ruapehu. Mr. .T. E. Anderson, late of Te Puke, has been appointed engineer to the Thames Borough Council out of eight applicants. Mr. Anderson holds a good service record, serving in the Array in France and Belgium from 1915 to *1919 and in Mesopotamia from 1919 to 1922. He has been consulting engineer >.o the Kaituna River Board and to the Te Tuke and Tauranga, counties.