APPLIANCES IN HOMES

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28869, 14 April 1959, Page 7

APPLIANCES IN HOMES

54 Per Cent. Have Refrigerators

Fifty-four households out of every 100 had the sole use of a refrigerator, and 56 out of every 100 the sole use of a washing machine when the official census was taken in 1956. according to the newly-published volume on Dwellings and Households. In a news summary of information contained in the volume published by the Government Printer, the Government Statistician rMr J. V. Baker) says that the general tendency is for a higher proportion of refrigerators to be found in the warmer parts. Of the 15 urban areas, the largest centres of population, Napier had the highest propor* tlon of dwellings equipped with refrigerators (69 per cent), fol# lowed by Auckland, Hastings, and Hamilton (68 per cent), and Dunedin and Invercargill the lowest (26 and 30 per cent re# spectively). Wellington, with 48 per centi is the only North Island urban area with less than half the houses equipped with re* frigerators. The variations in the proportionate distribution of washing machines is on an urban-rural basis. When 60 per cent of houses in the total of counties are equipped with washing machines, this applies to only 55 per cent, in cities and boroughs. There are. however, marked differences between counties. For instance. 71 per cent, of dwellings in the total counties in Taranaki have washing machines, and 69 per cent of the counties in Southland, compared with 48 per cent of the counties in Westland, 55 per cent in Marlborouh and Nelson, and 57 per cent, in Auckland. Income Related One table shows the relation between the income of the head of the household and the incidence of refrigerators and washing machines. In general the proportion of dwellings equipped with refrigerators rises progressively as income rises. For instance, out of every 100 dwellings where the income of the head is returned as £5OO-£699, 44 have the sole use of a refrigerator and 51 the sole use of a washing machine. This proportion rises to 78 and 80 respectively in the group where the head has an income between £l3OO-£1499.

It must be kept in mind of course that the income of the head is not a perfectly reliable indication of the financial status of the household, as the head is often not the sole or even the main earner, the statistician says. Of the other amenities the proportion of houses with baths or showers has a special interest in that comparisons can be made with the overeas position. The latest available overseas, figures have been used, the year being indicated in brackets following the country Where 92 out of every 100 houses in New Zealand are equipped with baths or showers, this amenity is present in 82 per cent, of houses in Australia (1947), 71 per cent, in the United States (1950), 62 per cent, in Britain (1951), 61 per cent, in Canada (1951), 11 per cent, in Austria (1951), and 10 per cent, in France (1954). Golf Tournament A professional and amateur golf tournament, in which the prizemoney will total £lOO, is to be held at the Huapai links, Auckland, to celebrate the recent 80th birthday of the veteran Auckland professional, Mr F. Hardman. The tournament will be a 36-hole medal on May 3. Amateur entrants will be limited to 84. Mr Hardman made a gift of £5O towards the prizes, and Auckland organisations are contributing.

Brazil Welcomes Japanese Emigrants.—There are 62.934 Japanese families living in Brazil, comprising 404.630 people, including Brazilian children barn of Japanese parents. Half the families live in the State of Sao Paulo, while 63.908 Japanese or Brazilian born of Japanese live in the State of Parana. —Reuter.