"NOT A WAR WORK"

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 17, 20 January 1940, Page 10

"NOT A WAR WORK"

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Your protest against the spending of £70,000 on a commercial broadcasting station-will perforce escape a good deal of notice that it .should attract—the Wellington races are on. Racing form appears to be a much more congenial study to many New Zealanders than political form, more's the pity. But reverting to the point, what surprises me is that this money has not been allocated to a much more needful and humane purpose, namely, the building of houses to be let from about 12s 6d a week. Personally, I consider that one of the strongest indictments against the Government is its failure to build such houses despite a most explicit promise. There must be thousands of poor folk—the Labour Party's forgotten legion—who are disappointed that plain but comfortable houses were not provided for them before they were for other folk two or three rungs higher up on the social ladder. Admittedly, it may be countered that wages and pensions were increased. But the rents of the houses that have been built are about 100 per cent, higher than promised. Consequently those with slender incomes can do little more than look yearningly at these houses, and continue to live in houses that, by comparison, are unfit for human habitation. Perhaps the Prime Minister, who is certainly not deficient in sympathy for the "bottom dog," intends to refer to this matter in one of his Sunday talks, and, incidentally, to show that the £70,000, irrespective of war and other pressing considerations, is being wisely spent.—l am, etc.,

COUNTRY READER,