U6 



NOTES, COMMUNICATIONS, AND REVIEWS. 



The Report of the Departmental Committee on Buildings for 

 Small Holdings. — In the early part of the year, the President 

 of the Board of Agriculture appointed a Committee to inquire 

 into the equipment of Small Holdings, and the Committee's 

 Report affords much interesting and valuable reading, alike 

 for landlord and tenant. In many places the question of the 

 success or failure of the Small Holdings created under the 

 Act of 1907 is almost entirely one of the cost of the necessary 

 buildings. Given land let in large farms at a certain rental 

 per acre, will it carry the additional burden of interest on the 

 outlay on houses and buildings when split up into small 

 holdings ? "Whilst, however, the Report of the Committee 

 deals with the most economical methods of planning and 

 construction for this special purpose, its application will be 

 found to be much more general than its title suggests, 

 particularly in those sections which deal with dwelling-houses. 



In pursuing their investigations the Committee visited 

 many places in England and Wales, whilst a Sub-Committee 

 also spent a few days in Sweden. The Report is divided into 

 the following sections : — 



1. The Small Holder's House. 



2. Farm Buildings. 



3. Unusual Materials and Methods of Construction. 



4. Building By-laws. 



5. Rural Labourers' Cottages. 



Dealing with the Small Holder's House, the Committee 

 give a list of minimum tlimensions for every room and all 

 the usual offices. As these houses are really nothing more than 

 labourers' cottages, with certain necessary adjuncts, such as 

 dairies, &c., the conclusions contained in the Report will repay 

 careful study by all those interested in the rural housing 

 <|uestion. Each room, or oflice, is dealt with separately, and 

 its aspect, position of doors, windows, fireplaces and other 

 fittings are discussed in the greatest detail. For example, 

 reference is made to the discomfort and the unhealthiness 

 of a house filled with steam on washing days, owing to the 

 presence of the copper in the scullery or the back-kitchen, and 

 attention is drawn to the fact that nowadays steam-consuming 

 coppers are to be bought. At the same time, the Committee 

 urge the advantage of a washhouse completely separated from 

 the house, which can be made large enough to accommodate the 

 l)erambulator, the garden tools, and such like things for which 

 there is no place in the average cottage. 



