THE SEAMY SIDE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 14061, 16 May 1906, Page 8

THE SEAMY SIDE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—Mrs Cunnington, referring to | (lie lives of the poor in London, states ; !hat life is ugly, men. are ugly/ women-! *re ugly and the homes ugly. Why-is this. so? Does Mrs Cunnington mean : that as regards face and figure that' colonials are far superior. Until re- : . ocntly I lived in a London, suburb. I im a working man, and my w r ork carried me into many parts of London, so I speak from experience. I cannot say the colonials are strikingly handsome compared to Londoners, nor do'l think that Londoners are particularly ugly, | as Mrs Cunnington seems to infer; As regards the; homes, Mrs Cunnington gives “ The Seamy Side” with a vengeance. I will venture to state that, . as far as the ordinary working men’s homes are concerned, the Londoner has by, far the greater advantage. One pould not expect to find a real homo In the heart of a city like London. Mrs Cunnington docs not speak of the crowds that leave London by train when the day’s work is finished. To follow one of the workmen of those vast crowds on© may see-him enter a home auch as a coleifial would envy: For example, I will give a description of my ■ own home. I was living with my own - people in a house containing six rooms, oath and scullery, hot and cold water, ■ and every convenience, with perfect sanitary arrangements. The house was newly built of brick; at the back was i a piece of land 53ft by 25ft, to which there was a side entrance. Gas was ; also laid on in the house. This residence was rented at the princely sum of 10s per week. It was situated within eight minutes’ walk of a station, such station being seven miles from the city of London. Transit could bo had by electric or steam train for 3d (re- ■ turn’ticket). Tin's is one instance out of the'many thousands who have the same, and even better, facilities. One could not, expect that in London, until a -population averaging more than the whole of New Zealand, to. find every family with a perfect home. You will . find, slums in every big city, and Lon- ! don’has its share, but that is not the place to look for the average working mail's home. Mns Cunnington also' •ays .everyone drinks, even the children', who learn the habit by being sent to the pot-houses for beer. May I ask )f • Mns Cunnington knows of the Act passed a few years ago, and which is still strictly enforced, to the effect that no child under the ago of fourteen years shall be served with intoxicating liquor,’ except in a sealed vessel. Mrs Cunnington does Londoners a great injustice when, she says “they all drink.” Mrs Cunnington also relates her difficulty in making the factory girls understand anything she had to say at meetings which she addressed. Perhaps it was net the girls that were dull, but her address. still seems te be under a misapprehension regarding the London girl’s intellect. I would like to state that- the >verage London girl has a much better education, and would compare more than favourably with her colonial sister. Seeing that this keen observer re- j commends the younger generation to visit the Old Country,, wo must hop© when'they do bo/they will see us in a much hotter light.—l am, etc., A LONDONER BORN AND BRED.