94 Report S.A.A. Advancement of Science. 



by small panes of glass. Small panes are also irritating, when there 

 is a good view ; plate glass is then indefinitely preferable in moderate 

 sized panes, and costs little more than the small panes of sheet glass 

 with the greatly increased wood or metal work in connection with 

 same. 



Roof coverings should be non-conductors of heat, and oorru- 

 gated iron ought never to be used. It is equivalent to living under 

 a stove. The same material should never be used for wall linings, 

 unless protected all round by verandahs of ample width, and if 

 insisted on for roofs, should have some interior lining with, if 

 possible, an air space between the iron and the air contained by the 

 interior of the roof, which should be abundantly ventilated besides. 

 Walls should be thick, instead of being invariablv cut down to the 

 minimum requirements of the municipal authorities, and special 

 means should be adopted when absorbent bricks are used to render 

 them water tight on the sides exposed to the heaviest rains and 

 gales. Under these conditions either stone or hard burnt bricks 

 would be the most suitable materials, and it is somewhat surprising 

 that rubble-built walls are not commoner than they are. 



A cool appearance should be aimed at, which, bv reason of its 

 usually being attained by the use of stucco, rough cast, or even white 

 wash, results in actual coolness by reflexion. Window openings, 

 where not exposed to the sun, should be large, and the reverse where 

 so exposed, and bays should have French casements, or, at least, 

 casement sashes, and doors. Indeed, wherever possible, in all rooms, 

 the arrangements should be such as to enable the whole house to be 

 opened up to every breeze that blows. 



Fireplaces, outside of kitchen requirements, are not needed on 

 the coast of Natal, except for emergencies in one or two rooms at 

 most, and then, if possible, they should be made ornamental, and 

 on the open hearth principle, so as to be available as receptacles for 

 ferns or plants, for which thev will be used practically the whole 

 year round. 



Special provision is required to provide for the running off the 

 heavy torrential rains. In flat-roofed houses gutters of any size 

 can be constructed and kept out of sight, but eaves gutters must 

 either be of a size which looks ungainly, or else a large number of 

 down spouts must be provided, which are always more or less clumsy 

 in appearance. 



Owing to the plentiful water supply in Durban, the bath may 

 always be looked upon as one of the necessities of the climate which 

 is within the reach of everyone, and the bathroom in all homes should 

 be made a sreater feature of as regards its comforts and appoint- 

 ments than it is. And not to enlarge on these details too long, 

 lastly, the house must be absolutely proof against our greatest insect 

 pest, the white ant, which is quite a practicable end to achieve, if 

 it is gone about the right way from the beginning. 



Generally and broadly speaking, the two great classes of style 

 upon which we may draw for our inspirations, may be said to be 



