BUILDING AND HOMES

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 69, 15 December 1931, Page 5

BUILDING AND HOMES

CBJ

“JACK PLANE.”)

TO DEFY HURRICANE Sound Building Essential EXAMPLES FROM BELIZE A study of pictures of the Belize (British Honduras) hurricane disaster, while demonstrating the appalling damage wrought by the storm, gives an excellent idea of the materials generally used in the construction of the buildings. No doubt, writes an English expert, the stricken town and surrounding areas will be subject to careful examination and research work by engineers and technicians, and a large portion of the property loss may be accounted for by a flair for fashion in building and unsound structural engineering. Three years ago a similar disaster took place in Central America, not far from British Honduras, and an analysis of the damage done, with particulars of- certain materials and constructional principles allowed in the storm area, was surprising.

_ Small masonry units, flimsy construction, and sheet metal tacked on to either wood or metal framing, will show themselves absolutely unsuited to construction requirements in this and other centres which are subject to frequent visitations from the worst type of storm.

WeU-built houses, of both timberframe and masonry construction, and modern office and hotel structures, have withstood and will withstand, such strains. Although all classes of materials used may be seriously affected, those conspicuously offering the least resistance in a previous disaster were concrete block, terra-cotta, tile (single and interlocking), cast stone, sheet metal, faulty timber construction, plate glass and roofing materials other than wood shingles. Insufficiently secure tying of the parts of buildings may be at the root of some of the trouble. In one case posts-supporting the roof of a large commercial building were tied to the ground near the kerb with only singly Jin metal strips, which gave way with the lift of the wind. It is in the poorer of the coloured people where most damage and loss of life occur in many places. Here are to be found. skimped houses of framq construction, with 4in. by 4in. sills, lin by 2in. floor joists, and- roof rafters of the same dimensions in long spans. Many of them have no attachment of roof to wall plate, and some are not even secured to the foundations.

Inspections made in previous hurricanes go to show that roofs laid on masonry side walls were not only carried away,, but having been lifted and dropped once. or several times by the wind have, by their crushing effect, developed the first wall weaknesses. AIRIER THE BETTER I A Home in South Africa SOME ATTRACTIVE POINTS “The airier the better” is the modern slogan for houses and flats. It is a healthy slogan and an eminently practicable one. The homes of yore, hung with great dust-catching curtains and arranged enormous gloomy, .furniture, are finished and done vyith. The weary housewife has no longer to spend her days dusting horrible little knickknacks and ornaments. Rooms are large—as large and as airy as possible, says a writer in the “Rand Daily Mail” (South Africa). Just lately he visited a modern flat, and was struck by its paradoxical air of simplicity and sophistication. The entrance hall had a scarlet ceiling, on which one vivid blue bird was painted. On the floor was a modern rug. In the four corners were blue globes of light. The lounge was a vast, airy room with built-in cupboards; the walls were grey, and the ceiling was a pale mauve. The huge windows were curtained with straight mauve curtains. The furniture was of nickel and grey leather, with cubic patterned cushions. In one corner an admirable little cocktail bar had been installed, with mauve cocktail glasses and a shiny nickel shaker.

The furniture was comfortable, and the two paintings on the walls were one by Gaugin and the other by Matisse. The dining room was in shades of buff, with a new and attractive nickelled table, with a delightful centrepiece of glass, consisting of two dancers on a fountain.

On the sideboard was a large bowl, in which goldfish swam round and round. In each room was a telephone painted to match the. general colour scheme. The- principal bedroom was carried out in shades of green. The bed, or rather divan, was raised on. a dais, and the entire room was carpeted with a green pile carpet. On the divan’s green cover was one orange cushion. On the, half-moon dressing table was a green enamel set The lamps were set into the wall, and the one picture was a dainty woman painted by Marie Laurecin.

The other bedroom had a blue ceiling with four red flamingoes on it. The bed was blue, and the picture frames were red. Each bedroom had a bathroom attached with a sunken bath, and original wall mural decorations. The Kitchen was small and tiled, and had an electric stove.

All the linen, glass, and silver used in the flat was of modern make and design. and nothing more delightful could be imagined. The flat, he was told, was perfectly easy to keep clean, and however stormy a day it was it always looked bright and sunny, no doubt owing to the brightness of the decorations.

INDOORS AND OUT When a handle is required for a tip dipper or a pannikin, rivet on a strip of leather curved into the right shape. If the leather is then dipped in boiling water it will become as hard as wood. To clean inside of grates, instead of using yellow ochre, mix briquette ashes with hot or cold water, preferably hot, and apply with brush. • • » To remove stain of grease and oil from boards scrub them with hot water, using a hard brush which has been dipped in a mixture of one part slaked lime and three parts of silver sand. Scrub in the direction of the grain of the wood, and rinse well. A paste of Fuller’s earth and water spread over the stains overnight will assist in their removal « * * A discussion on a paper dealing with eugenics at a recent meeting of the British Association of Architects brought to light the existence of Strassbourg’s eugenic city. This model garden suburb has been built by M. Alfred Dachert on land leased free by the municipality, certain factory owners contributing £lOO,OOO to the cost. The houses of labour-saving type, set in gardens, are let only to married couples of the middle. and artisan classes who have passed a strict test of physical fitness. The rents are very low—returning about 4 per cent, on the cost of building. The results of this selective tenanting are said to be remarkable. The births exceeded deaths by 35.6 per 1000, compared with 2.7 per 1000 for the adjoining city. There was no disease, and the children were stronger, taller, heavier, healthier, and more beautiful than anywhere else in France. To us this deliberate encouragement of the fit sounds rather odd, since philanthropic effort in this country is now practically confined to - fostering the unfit. SUMMARY OF TENDERS CLOSING DURING THE PERIOD DECEMBER 15 TO DECEMBER 29. Rangitikei County Council. —Tenders for bituminous sealing, Highway, Wangaehu and Turakina. Close 5 p.m., December 17. Box 24, Levin. —-Tenders for the erection of Levin Club buildings. Close 5 p.m., December 18.