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55
SECTION V.
HOUSING AND TOWN-PLANNING.
Buildings.—Even including the Council's estate, very few dwellings
have been erected, because of the scarcity of labour and the high prices of wood,
glass and other materials.
Overcrowding —Conditions are still bad here. If stringent measures
were taken to abate this, as no small houses are to be had, it would only lead to
those dispersed producing overcrowding elsewhere.
Bungalows.—A certain amount of building has taken place (especially
in the Bush Hill Park area) which has been in the form of direct«contracts taken
up by builders on behalf of private owners for their own occupation. In fact,
it has almost become an epidemic and one which I do not at all appreciate; it
is a tendency of the times which I fail to understand. The total cost, compared
with the amount of accommodation provided, must be out of all proportion,
owing to the large amount of roof and foundations.
One recalls that this style of architecture is only in its proper place in
tropical climates, where the bungalow with its huge overhanging eaves is
greatly appreciated, because it every ray of direct sunlight out of all the rooms.
Again, the placing of a bungalow on a plot in a road containing the usual
stylish suburban villas, gives passers-by a shock to their sense of the appropriate.
I think such buildings (if erected at all) are best grouped together in an area by
themselves under the name of "Bungle Low Town."
Lastly, as far as I am personally concerned, I am still old-fashioned
enough to like to go upstairs to bed without the knowledge that an enterprising
burglar has easy access to every room in my humble dwelling.
By-Laws.—In November, 1919, an Order (65569) of the Ministry of
Health was received whereby the Council's Building By laws are relaxed for
three years from July 31st, 1919. No prosecution for contraventions of building
by-law 113 has taken place since 1907.
However, Mr. H. W. Dobb, our late Architect, earned the gratitude of the
ratepayers for his keen supervision of the builders in the district, the knowledge
of which did not enable them to appreciate the arbitrary dismissal in 1920
of that gentleman by the Council, after 23 years faithful service.