Correspondence

Hutt News, Volume 18, Issue 43, 21 February 1945, Page 5

Correspondence

Sir, —My attention lias been drawn to a statement in your leading article of 17th January last under the heading "Dirty Linen" wherein, deal ing with housing matters, your claim, inter alia: — "This is unforunate, but what is much more deplorable is the attack on average British habits due to a

certain feature of some of the dwellings adopted by the State Housing Department. We refer to that type of multiple dwelling in which four or sometimes six families share a community wash-house. Such an arrangement could only be the product of a Continental mind. Yet we have these places in the Hutt Valley and more are being built." I wish to point out that your statement is not in accordance with fact, |as in the past the Department has provided a wash-house for never more than two units, while now it the general practice to provide a wash-house for each unit. It would appreciate it, therefore, if you would, in fairness to both myself as Minister of Works and the Department of Housing Construction, publish the abev facts for the information of your readers.—Yours faithfully, R. SEMPLE, Minister of Works.

[Whilst we are very pleased to publish Mr. Semple's statement, we must point out that -"general practice" is a rather loose term and feel that our readers would appreciate a definite statement that NO unitsare now being built under this share-the-washhouse scheme. —Ed]

COMPOST HEAPS Sir, —In your issue of 7th February there appears an advertisement inserted by the Public Health Department blaming compost heaps for the fly nuisance in our houses. I would point out that flies were a nuisance everywhere before the introduction of compost. The increase of the pest, in Lower Hutt at any rate, is mainly due to the large num ber of new houses built on too small sections, and to the bad habit of the occupiers putting meat and unused food into the ash tins. These tins are usually too near kitchen doors. Apart from the foregoing remarks it seems strange for the Health Officer to candemn compost, while another branch of the Government is urging us to in for intensive vegetable production.—l am etc., ANTI-FLIES.