New South Wales Government Housing Scheme.

Progress, Volume XIV, Issue 12, 1 August 1919, Page 570

New South Wales Government Housing Scheme.

What sort of houses the. New South Wales Government proposes to erect at NeAvcastle, LithgOAv and other outside centres we do not know, but it is to be sincerely hoped that they are better than those about to be perpetrated at Daceyville. We have seen the plans and specifications of some of these, and venture to prophesy that the day Avill come Avhen there Avill be a stern investigation to try to discover Avho ought to be punished for the crime of their existence. We do not believe that the Government architect is responsible. Some one has ridden the high horse, and that particular someone has blundered hideously.

Some of the plans are such that if submitted by a private architect would be rejected by the building authorities, but the Government is not amenable to the building laAv.of the land. In the majority of the plans the pantry and kitchen are placed in the closest proximity to the lavatory, bathroom and sinks.’ In the hot moist weather the gentle ptomaine will lift up his hordes and rejoice in a fair field and a generous access to the corned beef, cold mutton and fish reposing in the meat safe. ' '

Some of these proposed buildings have a frontage of 43 feet and a depth of 26. If the depth of the land is to be based on the usual .allocation the tenant will get his money worth in soil if not in house. Usually the length of the house lies at right angles to the street. But in this case it is parallel with it. So, if the land is divided as usual the prospective occupant will be able to go in for market gardening or stock raising. Perhaps it is a subtle move on the part of Mr. Holman’s Cabinet to cope with the alleged meat shortage!

Some of the roofs are fearfully and wonderfully cut about, having kinks and dips that may be picturesque, but which will be a source of infinite annoyance to the future occupant.

The specifications call for tiled roofs laid in hardwood rafters of three inches by two. The regulation minimum is four by two. These hardwood rafters will warp, and whole stacks of tiles will slip, probably through on to the ceiling below, and crashing through, kill a few children and maim some of the adults. The ceiling joists are also to be of hardwood, five inches by two, to be finished off with Oregon lathes and plaster.

The internal subdivisions in some cases are shocking. In one case the lavatory window overlooks the main entrance! If any of the occupants conclude, the purchase, they Avill be those who are unfortunate enough to be able to pay down a substantial deposit, which Avill so cripple them that they will be unable to move. To sell such a house three years after its completion Avill be as impossible as the sale of brimstone in the place Avhere all bad builders should eventually go.

In this connection it is interesting to see Avhat they did in other countries under conditions of even greater urgency than obtain in our oavh land. The United States discovered that its ship building programme' Avas seriously interfered Avith by the lack of proper accommodation for the Avorkers. American captains of industry have recently awakened to the fact that the proper housing of the Avorkers has a tremendous lot to do Avith national efficiency. A measure Avas drafted and entitled The Housing Act, rushed through both Houses of Congress and became luav on May 16th, 1918. •

Under this Act £12,000,000 (60,000,000 dollars), Avere immediately appropriated for the building of homes for the employees at Mare Island Dockyard, Vallejo, California; at Philadelphia; at Ncav York, and Seattle, Washington State. That was only a preliminary. In a few weeks, it had soared up to £40,000,000 (200,000,000 dollars), and since then has been enormusly increased, but the writer has not the actual figures by him. ,

A Commission was appointed to confer with the workers as to the types of houses most suitable to their requirements. On that Commission were town planners, architects, builders, transport experts, and representatives of the various unions affected. ' : - '

In the, long and elaborate report of that Commission one paragraph stands out like a flag on a hill top:—

“What the worker requires is not a mansion, nor anything wildly elaborate, but a good, comfortable home, with modern conveniences, close enough to his work that he will not have to fignt his way to work and home again on a street car before and after his day’s toil.”

Nine types of houses were found necessary to fill the bill : Single family houses. Two family houses. Single family houses with rooms for lodgers. Lodging or apartment houses for men. Lodging houses for women. Residential cafes for men and also for women, tenement and boarding houses. The single family houses were to be wholly or semidetached. No house to be more than two rooms deep. Materials, as far as possible to be local, so long as they were permanent (brick, terra cotta, stone, concrete, and all with fire-resisting roofs). Every house 4 to have a basement. Closets and built-in cupboards in every room; gas for cooking; electricity for lighting and heating; baths, with hot and cold water services.

The great dread was that the element of hurry would result in the rapid creation of huge barracks, but it it was not so. Each village was effectively town-planned with an artistic and effective arrangement of the houses, open spaces and parks for the benefit of the children.

The result has been the creation all over the country of numerous model communities, beautiful to behold, convenient and comfortable to inhabit, and more permanent in character than the “additions” any American city has ever before known.—Architecture.