WORK AND WAGES.

Evening Star, Volume 12869, Issue 12869, 19 July 1906, Page 8

WORK AND WAGES.

A MODEL HOME FOR WORKERS. Mr R. C. Munro Ferguson, M.P., has had erected on the Raith Estate, Kirkcaldy, a working man's cottage of a novel type, as a result of a recent visit to the garden city of Lcchworth, in England, with the special object of showing what class of cottage could be provided in Scotland of five apartments at a cost not exceeding £l6O. Mr Graham, Mr Ferguson's clerk of works, after visiting Lechworth, set about preparing plans for a sample cottage, which has since been erected within Raith policies, with frontage to Boglily road, whereby a southern exposure is secured. The cottage is both neat and commodious, and contains in all five rooms, consisting of parlor and front bedroom, measuring 14ft by 12ft and 13ft 6in by lift respectively; back bedroom, lift by lift; kitchen 13ft 6in by lCft 6in; and bed-closet, 6ft 6in by 6ft 6in. In addition, larder, scullery, 'bathroom, and w.c. and coal cellar are provided. The ceilings are 9ft in height. The woodwork, all of best foreign red wood, is painted with a solution of wood preserve, carbolenium, which is extensively used in Germany instead of creosote. All the inside partitions are of brick, and instead of the vents being placed in the gable, as is customary in dwelling-houses, they are fixed in the central wall of the house, and by this means an equal distribution of heat is secured throughout each room. The building covers a total ground space of 48ft by 37ft 6in, and stands on a brick and cement foundation raised 12in above the ground level. A spacious garden surrounds the cottage, which has been erected on plans approved bv the county authorities. The whole appearance, interior and exterior alike, is not only attractive, says the ' Scotsman,' but" no thing has been omitted which is calculated to make for the health and comfort of the inmates. When everything is fully completed the cost of the new structure will work out at the figure aimed at, exclusive of builders' and architects' fees and water and sewage. Numerous inquiries have been made concerning the model cottage, which could be let many times over.