Government Houses

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 86, 28 April 1937, Page 7

Government Houses

RALFH EWART BARLEY.

(To the Editor.) Sir, — I was sorry mdeed to see the name of Mr Ba/ird, assoeiated with the controversy concerning the housing problem as it affects us locally. As a prime mover in the Hastings Progress League I thought he would have welCOmed the buiiding of fifty o'r even a nundred new comfortable homes for our people. I am afraid.Mr John Lee, M.P., has nim Dy the hip and all his explanatioue will not extmcate him from the suspicion thal he is antagonistic to the new. move. I would like Mr Bairu personally to escort the Minister for nousing around somo of these wonderful places at 15/-, 17/6 to 25/-. He would find not too many even of these vacant. There are hundreds of hoUsee in this borough, although tenable, are like the antiquated motor-cars, not much more than junk. Neither I nor Mr Baird would like to have to reside in them even if they were rent free. There are places With a valuation oi say £450 which have been rented out at 15/- to 17/6 for the last thirty years. The tenants have bought and paid for them over and over again. I am afraid, dn fact I am sure, many of these places wili be vacated wben we get a few new streets of comfortable homes for the usefui people of our town. Undoubtedly landlords bad a rough time during the slump, but that was the outeome Of the very system Mr John Lee is working strenuously to overthrow, No, Mr Editor, behind the squeal of Mr Baird at the Charnber of Commerce I hear tho squeal of vested interest. There are those who sdy ' ' these old places are quite good enoUgh for the workersi" That day has passed. My heart is overjoyed that at last the Women and children of otir workers are to have the opportunity of decent homes „ with electric ran^es and beautiful slnks' and poreelain baths; in faCt, all the amenities of life at the price paid for these junk ramshaekle places which have served their day and geheration. It is a great com'pensation to mo to know that the splendid six aerCs oi open gpace that I lost in adverse times are 1 going to hOuSe the children of to-morfow. Let us welcoine father than hindfer the new move. It is the Way of health and happinesS and true progress. Environment means so iuuch to life. And green i'orever be the groveB And bright the floWery sod, Where first the child 's glad spirit knows Its coimtry and its God. —Yours. etc..

Hastings, April 27. fParts of the ubove lottor have boen v.ut out. It Was too long and the relative personal circumstances of Mr Barley and Mr Baird surely have nothing with the mferits or othcrwise of ithe Government housing scheme. Mr

Baird '& remarks before the Hastings Charnber of Commerce have been gravely misconstrued by Mr Lee. Mr Baird 's concern was that the new Government housee would cost the workers more than many of them are paying at the present time. — Editor.]