THE HOUSING SURVEY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23203, 29 May 1937, Page 16

THE HOUSING SURVEY

10 IKE EDITOR Sir,—l wish to endorse the complaint of "Loyalty" regarding the powers of inspectors under the housing survey, but I would go further and include practically all public officials. With few exceptions, all similar Government activities are equally objectionable. Officials have power conferred on them to poke and pry into everyone's affairs with a total disregard for the rights and liberties of the people. Of recent years successive Governments have placed more and more power in the hands of officials of almost every department, so that the people are slowly but surely being bound by officialdom and handed over body and soul to the State. Quite recently an old gentleman was haled before a court and fined because he (in my estimation rightly) refused to allow official " nosey-parkers " to invade the sanctity of his home. It was said that he was "old-fashioned" and regarded his home as his castle, and for this offence he suffered a fine. Why, indeed, should the people not regard their home as their castle? The only time officials should be empowered to enter a person's house forcibly should be in the case of suspected crime or the existence of unsanitary conditions. One of the great tragedies of our country to-day is that so few of our people regard their home as their castle, but rather, as someone has aptly put it, "a place for parking and filling up." In my humble opinion, Sir, all societies and individuals who have the welfare of the nation at heart should, subject to the exceptions I have already mentioned, bend their energies towards re-establishing the principle that a person's home is his castle, and combat any infringement of that principle. I feel sure that all reasonable information required under the housing survey could readily be obtained from 99 per cent, of the people without any friction if an explanation were given through the press of all the reasons for such information being required, and an appeal once made for the people's co-operation. Those who would not co-operate would be so few in number that the data obtained would be quite sufficient for all practical purposes. By this method the desired end would be achieved, no fricticm would be caused, and the rights and liberties of the people would be maintained.

But instead of the authorities taking the people into their confidence, the methods of the dictator are adopted, and the bludgeon, in the shape of fines (and presumably gaol) is wielded to coerce those who are not "yes people." and are bold enough to stand up for the people's rights and challenge the unwarranted actions of authority. I understand that in the housing survey questionnaire, it is necessary to give the names of those occupying each bedroom. Now, Sir, in a survey such as this it undoubtedly is desirable for the Government to know the size of rooms and the age and sex of the occupants, so that it may know the state of over-crowding, etc.. but on what ground does it demand to know the names of the occupiers? I submit. sir, that there is absolutely no sound reason whatever why parents should have to disclose to officials the rooms occupied by the members of their

family, and particularly by their I daughters. This is a glaring case of unwarranted official inquiry into the private domestic affairs of the people on the part of officialdom, and the people should absolutely refuse to supply the information. I doubt very much if such a thing would be inflicted on the people of Germany by Hitler.—l am, etc., En Zed. [An inspector exceeds his authority if he demands the names-of the occupants of the bedrooms in any house. —Ed. O.D.T.]