Citizens Say—

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 773, 20 September 1929, Page 8

Citizens Say —

(To the Editor.)

MISS HASTEN REPLIES Sir,--With reference to the unwarranted personal attack made on me through your columns by “a member” of the Marlborough Mansions Company, in consequence of my presenting a report of the housing section of the Town Planning Association on bachelor or one-roomed flats, the matter therein was not given as my personal opinion but was the unanimous conclusion of the 10 members of the committee, and had reference only to bachelor flats (in which I am disinterested). In case it may be inferred that I, with others members of my family, live in a one-roomed bachelor flat, I may say that the flat occupied by us at “Rexcourt” was specially designed for family occupation, and provides a separate bedroom for each member of the family, in addition to dining-room, sitting-room, workroom, kitchenette, bathroom, lavatory, two balconies and verandah—though I do not know what concern it is of “a member” of the Marlborough Mansions Company. Of the six looms which he dignifies by the appellation of “bachelor flats”— which they make no pretence to be—four are honest- to-goodness single rooms for men to sleep in. The cooking conveniences to which he refers are exclusive to each of two bed-sitting-rooms, separately housed so that the occupants are not obliged to cook and eat where they sleep. Your informant omits to state that the very modest rent charged is an economic one for sleeping accommodation only, which including, as it does, s 9 E ? e service, provides what supervision may be necessary. I think the gentleman publicly attacking me should “play the game” and disclose his identity. ALICE 11. G. BASTEN. “FACTS AND FANCIES” Sir,— I read Mr. Maurice Lee’s “Facts and Fancies” in The Sun. I was amused and interested, and am wondering if he could do anything with another little conundrum. Science tells us that the earth completes its orbit round the sun in one year. This is its annual motion. It also revolves on its axis, making a complete revolution in 24 hours or one day. This is its daily or diurnal motion. Now we come to

the point I would like Mr. Lee or any reader to explain: When an airplane rises from the earth into the atmosphere why can’t it keep circling round in the sunshine until the part of the earth comes round on which the flyers wish to alight, providing it is in direct line from their starting point? An opinion might be expressed that the earth’s orbit travel compels the airplane to travel also, but, if this is actual fact, why do all western journeys take longer time, according to mileage, than eastern journeys, when it ought to be the reverse according to the earth’s motion? COUNTRY BUMPKIN. BACHELOR FLATS Sir, I must entirely disagree with Miss Basten’s views on bachelor flats. Why were there no insinuations made against the morality of the inhabitants of flats when all the flats in Svmonds Street were erected? I cannot think that our young men and women are less moral than those of England, Germany, Denmark and other countries that have bachelor flats to accommodate the working-class with small means. High rents, expensive transport, bad and costly accommodation in boardinghouses have contributed to make the provision of small and cheap flats necessary for our girls and men in business. Many of the girls and men m our shops and offices have complained to me of the exorbitant price that is asked for accommodation in boarding-houses where there is little comfort, no privacy, and where the diet is anything but wholesome and hygienic. In Auckland there are int? Quoted of two and three families living in most undesirable and insanitary houses, under the most unhygienic conditions, in houses, too, that were built to accommodate only three or four persons. Girls and men who are so unfortunate as to be thrown out of work can exist for a much longer time in a cosy little place of their own. and can economise till times are better, which they cannot do in private homes and boarding-houses. Why does Miss Basten condemn a system which is working so successfully in England and (Continued in next column.)

where every electric convenience and every sanitary convenience, such as baths and communal wash-houses, can be enjoyed by those with small means? The people of New Zealand live in narrow islands and most of them have never been outside these narrow islands, and their outlook on life is equally narrow. * RUBY E. WATSON. OLD VOLUNTEER DAYS Sir, — May I be permitted, as an old and very keen volunteer, to congratulate you - upon the able article which appeared in your columns on Saturday last. It was most interesting to one of the old brigade to read again the history and reminiscences of the old times, when men did their soldiering for sheer love of the game. I should like, however, to offer a little—very little—friendly criticism of the article as it appeared. In the first place, none of the colonels shown, except perhaps Colonel Roberts, commanded the Auckland district. Colonels Murray, White, and Reid each in turn commanded the Auckland Infantry Battalion, while Colonel Bloomfield was a mounted man for at least the major portion of his military service. I am not quite certain that he did not in his later days take up the foot service. Then, again, many of the old companies are mentioned, but why no mention of the A Battery, N.Z. Artillery, Field Engineers, and last, but by no means least, the Garrison Band? Any old volunteer will tell you that the rest of the Auckland military units only existed to act as a foil to the glo,ry of the A Battery—that is to say, any old member of the battery will tell you so. We of the battery were quite certain of it; others may not have been quite so sure. However, joking apart, while agreeing with your paragraph anent the mentioning of names, there is one which is probably quite by itself in the memories of old volunteers, and h** was not a volunteer. I need haxdlf tell any of the old hands who nial read this effusion that I refer to that fine old gentleman, Sergeant-Major (now Major) Carpenter. He was for many years the king-pin, mainstay, and sheet-anchor of military work in the Auckland district, and I think I may say that practically all of us who rose to any position of prominence in the volunteers owe a great deal of our success to the early training which we received at the hands of this most capable and keen, soldier. ÜBIQUE.