STINKING SLUMS.

NZ Truth, Issue 105, 22 June 1907, Page 6

STINKING SLUMS.

Talkitog of Walker-street, it is interesting to note that eighteen houses there have been condemned by, the authorities as unfit for human habitation, it is not a surprising thing that these smelly sheds; are tenanted largely by Syrians. These flatulent foreigners do little work. On the whole they are a lazy people—not necessarily the race, but all who have made an appearance m this colony, and it is a wonder to many how they live at all. One or two— usually women— go round hawking ; and there are a couple . of shops, whose owners import goods from their native land. The trade, they do is not excessive. The only, man who seems to be doing any work is the old bloke who employs English girls to sew. His machines are going continually, but he is tire exception. Most of the others 101 labout on the window-sills, but latterly, are durled round the kitchen fires. If they do nothing else they breed.. Little wonder it is' then that one finds m a little lean-to of a couple of rooms and a small cupboard a family numbering easily eight or nine, not counting the old birds." Mother, dad, and a couple of young hopefuls, squashed and squirming, occupy one groaning bed ; four or five more (boys and girls mixed) are packed into box beds, and the surplus ones find repose on the kitchen couch. And these undesirables are not going to do any good to our young women. Already one silly splaw, who has commenced trade as a hairdresser about four times unsuccessfully, has taken unto himself a colonial maiden ; and no doubt there are more to follow. The general opinion is that these people are cleanly and industrious, but such is not the case, although the shaky shanties are certainly kept fairly tidy inside. They have not got a great deal of, worldly substance to keep clean, and it is .amazing to see how they adapt themselves to the

AWFUL INSANITARY CONDITIONS

which ' prevailed. Our representative was privileged (?) to pay a visit to the slums m question ,the other day. ' It was an eye-opener to him. Down one alleyway, dirty beyond endurance, ■he found 'on each side a row of small, low-lying, unpretentious sheds, with an enclosure ahout four feed deep m front of each,, and from the doors and windows there peered dozens of surly Syrian dials. About half-way down there was a running tap, and what appeared to be the commencement of a drain. Half a score of urchins were playing here, attired wondrously. One was a dirty-faced kid with long hair, and wearing a ragged jumper and thin grey breeches, but this human hybrid was afterwards proved conclusively to be a girl. She and all the others looked happy and healthy, and as a rule the children thrive splendidly. Unless one knew not better, he might be inclined to think these were (the natural conditions under which these people live m their own country. It is about time Walker-street was cleaned out. These Syrians are a quarrelsome lot, and until recently it was the rule to find them fighting among themselves about every week, more than once with tomahawks. About the only good thing that can be said of them is that - *

THEY NEVER GET DRUNK, neither do they have any dealings with the ChowS, although the latter are living right alongside and m among them everywhere. These Celestials exist m Walker-street like a horde of rats, and they are not much better. There are some . three or four recognised cookshops, and these are veritable 'hotbeds of filth and vice. It is not an uncommon thing to find good-looking white girls prostitutiug themselves to the Chinese m these damnable dens. They live there as mistress to the sulky old yellow wretch— albeit aiten treated extremely _ well— and soon drown their anguish iv tiiink* Paij. y.Qimg .woman,

supposed to be the wife of- a respectable citizen, .was taken before the Magistrate's Court the other day : paralytic. She was a Chinaman's trollop. It is revolting to think that such hideous practises are going on here, and a Chinese mission m the same street !■ Of course the health authorities, when condemning buildings, have to keep m line with public sympathy,, and cannot do anything hurriedly, lest a wet sheet be put over their efforts. It is impossible, however, that any, sane person would protest if fifty, more of the Walker-street houses were demolished. This must come m time, and the sooner the better:The present state of affairs m thias street is a disgrace ,to civilisatioh.Although there are slums, putrid slums, m other parts of the city Walker-street outclasses them all.. Has not the fame of this street spread all over the colony ?, And yet nothing is done.