BATHS IN DWELLINGS

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 3491, 29 October 1926, Page 4

BATHS IN DWELLINGS

“A MODERN INVENTION.” HEALTH OFFICER’S VIEWPOINT. The Health Committee of the Sydney City Council recently recommended to the council that baths, cither shower or plunge, should be provided in all new houses to be erected in the city area, but declined to pass a law making it compulsory for owners ot property within the city area to provide baths in all homes or houses used for human habitation. Dr. Purdy, the Sydney health officer, explained that these homes complied with the City Council by-laws in regard to the cubic feet of air space for each ip.dividual sleeping in the houses. “If the City Council insists on baths being provided in houses occupied by Chinese the same provision will have to bo made for houses occupied by Europeans,” Dr. Purdy added. “For that reason I recommend that the by-law should not be enforced until 1925. Baths are quite a modern invention, and havo only come Into general use within the past 40 or 50 years, and it was only within recent years that it was considered necessary to provide bath facilities in ordinary homes. The estimate of the City Council’s officers is that it would cost £IOO to provide baths and fittings in most of the houses now without them in the city, and for accommodation for showers the cast would be at least £50.”

Alderman Brooks said the difficulty was that in many homes whore baths were provided they were not used for their legitimate purpose, but for the storage of coal or vegetables. The committee decided that there was no urgent necessity to insist, on the provision of baths in the older homes of the city.