We are glad to note that Mr. Neville Chamberlain in
a speech at Manchester on Monday insisted, as he has often done before, upon the fact that "the salvation of the housing situation, caused by a lack of building labour, was to be found in the encouragement of new methods of house construction." He also disclaimed the giving of any special preference to steel houses of the Weir type. Following these declarations, it has been announced that houses of other types are to be erected for inspection by those interested. That is clearly right. As far as we can make out, there is good promise in the Weir type ; but we want to explore every conceivable avenue of cheap, good, and rapid construc- tion. Especially are these qualities wanted for the emergency houses. The New Methods Committee have issued an interim letter which gives considerable grounds for hope. They state : (1) That facilities for demon- stration should be afforded to the steel house designed by Messrs. Braithwaite. (2) That a few demonstration houses of the Wilde type should be erected in the South of England and in Scotland. (3) That the Atholl steel houses are interesting, and worthy of encouragement as soon as a satisfactory reduction in price can be secured.
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