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Even a
WITNESS-Let us throw this narrow lane into this open space here narrow lane 2 feet wide is better than nothing. You get your kitchen and you get this new area taken off the house and in addition to that you have this narrow lane at the back of it.
case-
Mr. EDE-You take part of the house away in order to create a space
?-In any
The CHAIRMAN-Then you recommend it should be made compulsory ?—Yes. You think the cost would not be very great ?-I do not think they would object to that.
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-Do you think that the law should require that a window or ventilator of not less than one-twentieth of the floor area should open into this open space, so that the window would admit light from the air shaft whether it be a back- yar or the half of a kitchen which has been opened out?-You would have that in any case because you would find it was a door and the door would be made into a window. In fact I have worked out the window areas of a great number of these floors and that is the minimum.
One twentieth is the minimum ?-Yes. They cannot possibly object to that.
Mr. EDE-Do you think it would give sufficient light?--It would be about 6 feet by 3 feet 4 inches.
In this place, notwithstanding such a window, very little sunlight would, as a rule, get in, do you not think so ?--You are talking about sunlight, but I do not know what you are going to do to get sunlight into these streets.
Do you think it is desirable?—Of course it is desirable if you can get it. You mean sunlight in contradistinction to daylight?
These back to back houses are very lofty and some of the floors can only get the slightest ray of sunlight. Do you think it is desirable to have some of it?—I certainly do, but I should like to know how you are going to get it unless you have very wide streets and put up two-storied houses.
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Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-Should the law prevent the future erection of back to back houses in the city without providing along the entire back of such building, if one storied, a clear space forming a backyard of 10 feet in width, and if such building be of two or more stories should the width of such backyard be 15 feet?--I think those widths are excessive; they are much wider than there is any occasion for.
Mr. EDE-What would be your limit ?—I would have 6 feet as a minimum. Independent of the height of the house?-Oh no. For a four-storied house have it a little wider-10 feet.
You see
Hon. T. H. WHITEHEAD-I am speaking of all back to back houses. the present law only forbids the erection of these back to back houses on land obtained from the Government, but if a fire occurs the owner of that land can build a back to back house on the old lines without that width of open space. Should the law not be so amended that all future back to back houses should have open space for ventilation ?-- No, I do not think so. A fire occurs in a house. I know lots of valuable property on the sea frontage, the houses on which are only 24 feet in depth. I surveyed lately a lot of valuable property between Queen's Road and the Praya with a depth of only 24 feet and facing a street 18 feet wide. A fire occurs and in rebuilding that house the owner is obliged to leave a width of 10 feet and deducting say a 6 feet kitchen and the thick- ness of four walls he will have a room only 3 feet in depth. He cannot extend back- wards, because that is another man's property.
What width do you propose ?--Six feet as a minimum.
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