LIVING CONDITIONS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 95, 22 March 1939, Page 10

LIVING CONDITIONS.

DESIGN FOR IMPROVEMENT. STANDARD BY-LAWS DRAFTED. Per Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, March 22. Far-reaching provisions designed to improve living conditions in Hats and apartment houses, tenements and similar dwelling-places, are outlined in the draft proposals for standard by-laws covering such buildings, local authorities in Christchurch have received copies of the draft from tlie New Zealand Standards Institute. “The proposals will be studied by local authorities interested, commented on and finally issued in complete form later. Then the local authorities will be enabled to enforce them as compulsory by-laws. At the moment, it is emphasised, they are merely in draft form and are not to be acted on by the local authorities. The proposals apply in the majority of cases not only to buildings yet to be erected but to those already in use as flats, apartments, rooms or tenements.” The most important provisions are minimum adequate ventilation and lighting for all rooms whether livingrooms, bedrooms or lavatories; minimum heights for rooms and minimum floor space and air space; and the prohibition of the use of bedrooms for cooking food. There is compulsory ]>rovision In all single family dwellings and units of a living-room, a bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette and lavatory; the enforcement of fireproof construction in new buildings such as hotels, hostels, lodg-ing-houses, flats or apartment houses; the provision of accommodation for motor-cars, back court space and clean surroundings; and the licensing of all lodging-houses, and restrictions on the number to be lodged in them.