CONTRACTS PLACED

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 115, 10 February 1944, Page 4

CONTRACTS PLACED

Prefabricated School Rooms WELLINGTON TO HAVE 35 The placing of contracts for 45 prefabricated classrooms in Auckland, 35 in Wellington and 25 in Dunedin was announced yesterday by the Minister of Works, Mr. Semple. He said that in the event of further classrooms being required these would be prefabricated in the centres nearest to the demand.

“Through the utilization of this type of school,” said the Minister, “much-need-ed relief will be afforded throughout tho. country to the various schools where there is overcrowding, at present.” He added that the classroom had been designed as the result of investigations carried out by his officers, the Director of Education and the various education boards’ architects. These rooms would be the first all-plastic exterior buildings to be erected in this country. They were built with laminated plastics similar to those used in the construction of aircraft. This material was being manufactured in New Idealand and would afford his department an opportunity of testing under ‘actual operations the possibility of the use of the material in housing construction. The classrooms had been designed to afford a maximum of sunlight, as provision had been inade for five large windows of the hopper type, which would ensure perfect ventilation of the classrooms. Some schools would require more than one room, hut liy grouping these buildings a northerly aspect could always be secured. It was anticipated that there would be a considerable number of- these rooms required.