RESTRICTIONS PROPOSED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19893, 22 March 1939, Page 3

RESTRICTIONS PROPOSED

FLATS AND TENEMENTS LIVING CONDITIONS (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. Far-reaching provisions designed to improve Jiving 'conditions in flats, apartment houses, tenements and similar dwelling places are outlined in draft proposals for standard bylaws covering such buildings. LOcal authorities in Christchurch have received copies of the draft from the New Zealand Standards Institute and the proposals will be studied by the 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 that they are merely in draft form and are not to be acted on by local authorities. The proposals apply, in the majority of cases! not only to buildings vet to 'be erected, 'but to those already in use as flats, apartments, rooms, or tenements. The most important provisions are for minimum adequate ventilation and lighting for all rooms, whether living-rooms, bedrooms or lavatories; minimum heights for rooms and minimum floor-space and air-space; the prohibition of the use of bedrooms for cooking food; the compulsory provision in all single-family dwelling units, of a living room, a bedroom, a bathroom, a kitchenette and :a 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: the provision of back -ourt space and clean surroundings; and the licensing of all lodging 'louses and restrictions on the number to be lodged in them.