HOUSING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20656, 30 August 1930, Page 14

HOUSING.

> 'r.—.Mr. Howitt is in danger of forgetting his dignity and descending to personalities—the confession of the vanquished. Straight-out criticism of any proposal brought forward in your column's is tlie right of even subscriber (with your permission) and in such a matter as this, where one section of the community is directly attacked by a gentleman in such a publi; responsible position as the chairman Dt the Belief Committee, it is just and fair that the other side of the picture should be shown. Distiessed owners, like distressed tenants are waiting for the silver lining in the cloud and are more short of money than the impecunious tenait, who recognises neither responsibilities nor liabilities. Let Mr. Howitt leave these unfortunate owners alone to struggle with the untoward economic conditions that are now engulfing them and concentrate on promoting good feeling between landlord and tenant by educating such tenants as pass thiough his hands in ideals of responsibility, cleanliness, consideration and good citizenship. The cha rman of the Belief Committee is in a urique position to do this and it is his "storn dutV," "for the public good," that his should do so. Refening to the persoral attack upon my anonymity, I elo not write in defence of myself as an individual, but of the section of the commnn ty to which I belong. and so unsymj.athelically attacked by Mr. Howitt. I must confess that I was a bit staggered lit the high-sounding epithet "contumelious" that my protagonist has hurled at me. as none of my friends are in the habit of addressing me in such terirs. However, I forgive him. He now confesses that he cannot answer my practical straight-out question, based solely on his own proposals in the public press, and rather than further jeopardise his dignity I think it, about time we l>oth withdrew from this profitless contrcversv. Owner.