HOUSING SCHEMES

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 47, 24 February 1921, Page 8

HOUSING SCHEMES

HIGH COMMISSIONER'S INVESTIGATIONS

THE WALLER SYSTEM.

(WtOlt ODR OWN CORRESfONDBNr.)

LONDON, 12th January.

In further pursuit of information concerning the problem of housing, 4Sir James Allen accepted the invitation of the Poole Corporation to visit their new settlement near Bournemouth. Hero the buildings have been constructed on what is called the Waller system, and the High Commissioner will doubtless make a report to the New Zealand; Government, which should be of considerable interest. These houses, erected 1 on the Waller system, the invention of Major J. H. de W. Waller, D.5.0., lafe of the Royal Engineers, are claimed to be- the first completed under the Government subsidy scheme, and they have now been occupied, for a long enough period to have given a very good indication of their qualities. The system is a dietermined effort to get away from the use of ordinary materials and methods of construction, and reinforced concrete is used for floors, walls, and roofs. The various parts of the houses are made at centra] dtepots in convenient sizes for handling with specially-designed constructional cranes, and are sent out on to the job ready to be lifted straight into place, when a small amount of in situ concrete is placed which unite the whole into a monolithic' framed structure. In this way the work on the site is greatly reduced, and, as the central depots are roofed in, there is less delay through bad weather than with systems where the' w<*k is done' largely on the site. The walls are formed of two slobs with a cavity between them, these slabs being connected at intervals with, columns. Between the, slnbs at oeildnef level wall-plates are formed, which cany the joists of the first floor. The outer slab is made of very high-grade impervious reinforced concrete, mixed with "wet," and the inner slab .of porous ■concrete .made from crushed clinker. All the slabs are.cast the full height of the story in one piece. The roof, which may be formed with hips or valleys, 'as desired, is made in large sections, which, lift _ straight into place. 'There-are no horizontal joints. ' tho water having a> clear run off from ridge to cave, while the vertical joints allow for contraction and expansion, and are covered with a reinforced /concrete capping. The surface of the roof on the houses in Poole is a rich, dark brown, and it is claimed that it is exceedingly effective. The roof surface can ,be made any oolour and any texture desired. Needless to say, there are no slates or tiles to blow 'off, no roof timbers to rot, and no ■possibility of leaking. ' • . J Amngst the advantages of this system the inventor claims that the building's are everlasting, and\ cannot burn and upkeep is reduced to an absolute minimum. The use of unskilled -labour is utilised to the fullest extent, erection is speedy, and the buildinss, not being dependent upon moulds for their erection, can be made of any shape with ease. Moreover, owing to the fact that they are framed, structures are capable of great _ variety of form. The cavity walls,- with, water-tight outer skin and porous inner skin, ensure a dry house, and one with equable temperature, winter and summer. Finally, construction is cheaper than with bricks, although this is not the main advantage.