Making Dog Boxes of Houses

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 100, 1 May 1935, Page 6

Making Dog Boxes of Houses

NOTHING TO COMMEND LOWERED CEILDING “I jim not very enamoured with the proposal at all,” declared a city architect when asked yesterday for his opinion of the Health Department’s proposal that local bodies should adopt fi minimum of eight feet for the height of walls of rooms. ‘‘lt has nothing to recommend it and though sponsored on the score of economy, might very easily proved a mixed blessing.” It was pointed out to the reporter that for many years the height of walls in Palmerston North was fixed at 10 feet and only a special application to the Borough Council might and might not, secure permission for a 9-foot stud. Now the by-law allowed nine feet walls with eight feet as the minimum for the top floor of storey and a-lialf houses. To allow eight feet for single-storey dwellings would make dog boxes of the rooms and even if allowed, provision should be made at the same time for the compulsory installation of fanlights above windows to give the required air circulation.

An idea of how low a ceiling would be with au S-foot stud may be naa from the fact that the top of the architrave over a door stands seven feet from the floor. The ceiling would thus bo only one foot above that and a tali man would be able to touch it with ease. Prom the point of view of the outside appearance of houses, the architect seen was unablo to commend the proposal. Pride in the appearance of the town, he said, should also act as a deterrent to any such innovation.