NEW ZEALAND WINTER

New Zealand Listener, Volume 21, Issue 536, 30 September 1949, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND WINTER

Sir,-Nelle Scanlan has stirred up a bit of feeling among us Canadians. Has she ever lived in Canada? She refers to "stewing" in Canadian houses. Might I point out that the average Canadian is just as healthy as the average New: Zealander. A Canadian home is centrally hedted (average temperature 68 degrees F.) by necessity-not because we wish to pamper ourselves. In. temperatures ranging from 0 degrees F. to 40 degrees F., does Miss Scanlan think a person has any hope of keeping. the water supply flowing without some heating? Perhaps a Winter in Canada could change her mind. Canadians are not accustomed to wearing numerous cardigans and pullovers indoors, and therefore get full benefit’ from their out-of-door clothing when. necessary. They don’t have to sit_im front of a heater and freeze on one. side while they toast on the other. Algo they are proud to say they have plenty of sunshine, even on the coldest of days, and a cheerful day makes a person glad to work. And they do work in Canada, believe it or not. No doubt I will be considered a poor sport for objecting to what Nelle Scanlan may consider’ humour, but wrong impressions are often caused by such letters, and it is only fair that Canadiane chould he allawed +n defend them- ’

selves

TOLLY CANUCK

(Motueka),

Sir,-Nelle Scanlan’s letter in your issue of August 19 reminds me of a mother bull-dozing her infant to bed. With a series of "tut tuts," "cease your moanings," and some vague general statements, the infant is edged in the required direction, Unfortunately in neither case do the statements coincide with facts. We excuse mother because we admit the desired end. Thick and thin blood, due to cold and heat, are not, I, believe, scientifically" observable phenomena. Canadians can "stir themselves" because their sphere of activity is not limited by that jealous *\god-the open fire. So much time and thought are devoted to discussing draughts, ~hgarths, fuels, chimneys, and smoke that New Zealanders have less time to devote to more serious topics. Even if these latter are discussed, there are the inevitable breaks to stoke up, to close or open a window, to stop a draught, to move away from or closer to the fire, to admit a newcomer to the circle, or to let someone out, If a good fire exists, everyone just sits and stews. I judge a "civilised climate" as one that has been modified in its effects, to suit man, as in Canada. In New Zealand

we leave climate raw and tty to place upon the body the task of making the innumerable adjustments to the varying temperatures. Slight help is given by the use of clothes and our ineffective fires. The New Zealand winter is cold. ‘You cannot deny those chill bathrooms, those icy bedrooms, those winter woollies, those masses of blankets, those bake-one-side-at-a-time fires. And why is it that the railway carriage I travel in is always just the one in which the heat does not work?

A .D.

KELLY

(Palmerston North).

Sir.-Marie Alderson has written an amusing article on the theme that people who are used to central heating don’t like New Zealand houses. Like many people, she exaggerates greatly to get her effect. Can’t we "take the article like that, laugh, admit there is some truth behind the exaggerations, and not be annoyed? After all, not many people are adaptable, most of us liking the things we are used to, I have heard some who have visited the U.S.A. complain that they found American houses to be overheated and stifling. So it works both ways, The trouble does come in, though, when overseas people read an article like Mrs, Alderson’s and, not knowing it to ‘be exaggerated, believe it to be the literal truth, and think less of New Zealand accordingly, I know of a case in which that actually happened, I wonder if Mrs, Alderson can explain one point that puzzles me whenever I hear of this central heating of homes, Overseas visitors who make this complaint appear to come from either the middle or the wealthy classes. But what do the poorer people do? Can they really afford the enormous amounts of firing required to keep a 24-hour central heating system going? Or do they rely, as we do, on the range, incinerator, open fire, electric heater, hot water bottle and winter woollies? A New Zealand working class household could not possibly afford central heating. Can a Canadian ane do a? ; ;

U.M.

D.

(Christchurch),