LIVING CONDITIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23302, 22 March 1939, Page 16

LIVING CONDITIONS

FLATS AND APARTMENTS PROPOSED NEW BY-LAWS SUBMISSION TO LOCAL BODIES [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesdav Far-reaching provisions designed to improve living conditions in flats, apartment houses, tenements „and similar dwelling places are outlined in draft proposals for standard by-laws covering such buildings. The local authorities in Cliristchurch have received copies of the draft from the New Zealand Standards Institute.

The proposals will be studied by the loeal 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 that they are merely in draft form and are not to be acted on by local authorities.

The proposals apply in tlife 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. Also included are the compulsory provision in all single family dwellings of the units of a living room, a bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette and lavatory; the enforcement of fireproof construction in new buildings such as hotels, hostels, lodging 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.