BETTER HOMES

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21356, 26 February 1941, Page 5

BETTER HOMES

MR CHURCHILL’S VIEWS PLANS FOR AFTER WAR (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrig-ht) LONDON, Feb. 25 Housewives will have better-built and more roomy homes after the war if the ideas of the Prime Minister, Mr Churchill, are carried out. Mr Churchill, on his tours of the “blitzed” areas, has seen hundreds of ruined homes, and he decided that, when the great scheme of restoration is embarked upon, there shall be no jerry-built houses. Mr Churchill passed his views on to Mr George Hicks, M.P., who, for 20 years, has been the general secretary of the Building Trade Workers’ Union, and is now Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Buildings. Mr Hicks agrees that a guarantee should be compulsory with every new house. He says it is not sufficient to slam up four walls and call it a house. He considers there should be four or five inspections of the house during its construction, ensuring that it fulfils specifications. Mr Hicks also suggests the better use of colour, in making homes brighter and more cheerful; he contends that pipes should be built into the interior to prevent them freezing and bursting; that sub-basements should be provided for washing and ironing, thus preventing mess in the kitchen; that kitchens should have many more fitted cupboards; and that no main roads should be permitted through housing estates.