LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Chronicle (Levin), 18 October 1946, Page 2

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

C.

WHITEHEAD.

AN EXPLANATION Sir, — In the report ,of the Otaki Borough Council meeting in "The Chronicle" on Saturday last it was stated that I had written requesting" assistance in procuring a suitable house for my family, giving as a reason the information that the house I am in at present is not even suitable for two adults, and that one would freeze to death in it. I wish this corrected to conform with what I actually did say in my letter, namely, that with the windows shut in the small room in which my two children sleep one would suffocate, and that with them open one would freeze to death in the winter. I did not state /that one would freeze to death in the house in the winter, but that it was draughty. I wrote this letter to the council, on being advised to, requesting help in securing a State house at an early date, or alternative, aecommodation. I explained the eonditions my two children had to sleep under and also that my wife was, owing ta the location of the children's room, obliged to be exposed to the weather every time she had to attend to the children when they were in bed. Above all, the main reason given was that now we were a family of five we were living in a house suitable for two adults at the best. I hope the majority of the councillors were at least sympathetic or silent to my letter, but one councillor, in ignorance or hypocrisy, fiatly stated that the house was comfortable. Comfortable for whom or how many and, as this statement was made in connection with my letter, comfortable for a family of five? I challenge that councillor to show where he has lived a day in this house, or where he has tucked two of his own children to bed in this verandah room. By that remark I hazard the guess that the councillor has not got two small children of his own, and that he is snugly comfortable in a home of his own, with every convenience. I wrote to the council with a view to reeeiving help, but not to have an individual councillor impertinently assess for me how comfortable we, a family of five,. felt. Yours etc.,

Otaki, Oct. 12.