THE HOMES OF THE POOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12401, 14 October 1903, Page 7

THE HOMES OF THE POOR.

TO THE EDITOH.. Sir,l think that we cannot be too thankful to your paper for telling us about the trials of the unfortunate inmates of the, slums. Ii? is suoh a big question that perhaps it will be impossible to givo the poor people any substantial help, but no doubt, now that you have drawn attention to the subject, many charitable people will make an effort for tli.o comfort of some of the poor slum workers. We really need a few rich men to give a few i hundred thousand pounds to build cottages ' for them, for ive should not stop to seek the i cause of the misery if we had the means ;to make it less. But I think the poor arc | somewhat op on to disapproval, for since the | beginning of history they have never varied i their programme. They, heedless of the past . misery of their own youiug lives, have married j young, borne large families that they could ■ not feed or clothe. We have the issue of these marriages always with us, often stunted in body , and in mind. Do we want such a population as this? Let us rather have a> tenth of their number, without the fearful death-rate among them; children from clean, • healthy homes, the offspring of healthy parents, and given as their birthright good air, sufficient food, and sound limbs and lungs. If the poor would take this to heart the misery of the slums and half the misery of the world would be done with.—l am, ete -> " , . , A Reader. . Auckland, October 12.