TEACHERS' RESIDENCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2934, 8 June 1910, Page 3

TEACHERS' RESIDENCES.

DEPARTMENTAL INTENTIONS. WELLINGTON, May 31. The matter of teachers' residences throughout the Dominion was raised at the meeting of the Wellington Education Board this afternoon in a circular memorandum from the Education Department. The memorandum stated that there were about 1100 j of these buildings, of which 484 were , without bath-rooms or wash-house. Of these residences there were four with one room, 76 with two rooms, 46 with three rooms, 146 with four rooms, 113 with five rooms, 81 with six rooms, 12 with seven rooms, and three with eight rooms. In providing for the erection of new residences during the last year or two the department had to restrict the accommodation to five rooms, with a bath-room and a wash-house. Generally, continued the memorandum, it would seem of doubtful expediency to make any substantial expenditure on residences more than 20 years old. It would be equally inexpedient to spend money on additions to one and two-roomed dwellings. There were some 200 houses of three to five rooms needing improvement. The cost would be £IB,OOO to bring them up to the standard. This amount included 196 bath-rooms at £25, 125 wash-houses at j £25, 122 (one room each) at £SO, 38 (two rooms each) at £loo,—total £17,925. In many cases, however, one-third of• the number of teachers were single and U:

whom the residence was no advantage, and it was, therefore, estimated that an expenditure of about £12,000 would probably suffice to meet all the cases in which it is expedient tq spend money at once on improvements. * A list of defective residences .was asked for. It was decided to instruct the secretary to prepare such a list for the consideration of the Financial Committee.