Housing the People

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 88, 8 January 1935, Page 11

Housing the People

Sir, —The New Year appeal of "Currente Calamo,” following up your articles on the urgent subject of better housing for the people of Wellington, which appeared in Wednesday’s “Dominion,” must appeal in principle to every thoughtful reader as unanswerable. For the city's reputation, for the sake of our common Christianity, for our welfare in every way, the housing problem must be tackled and solved. As your correspondent says: “It is not a question of party politics, creeds, or theories—it is purely and simply a job for men and women of common sense and a love for their city.” In this matter in the Old Country the Prince of Wales sets us a splendid example. A well-known international daily in a sketch of H.R.H., recently published. says in part:— His friends say that he talks most about housing. Constantly he is heard to say that it is “a shame” the way some people have to live. After he has opened wonderful public buildings he has said privately that he wished they had spent the money on slum clearance. When he went to see a new secondary school in his own duchy of Cornwall recently, he • said: “I don’t think it is necessary to have such elaborate buildings for a school.” In his thorough way, he informs himself on every detail of slum clearance, and he makes tours to see what is being done. This is heartening, and, in view of the civic elections now approaching, this is the time to make housing a burning question. A country that can afford to spend so much on railway stations, schools and post offices can surely attend to the proper housing of its people.—l am, etc., W.F.K. Wellington, January 5.