SLUM CLEARANCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23830, 9 June 1939, Page 15

SLUM CLEARANCE

ro THE EDITOR Sir, —Since certain Ministerial comments were recently made respecting unhealthy housing conditions obtaining in Dunedin, the question of the existence and extent of slums in this fair city is exercising the minds of many public-spirited citizens. His Worship the Mayor, vide your article in your issue of June 1, describes the Minister’s statements as “ grossly exaggerated statements calculated to besmirch the good name of Dunedin.” In your leader you also stated that the Minister had “ chosen to cite Dunedin as his terrible example of slumdom," and that “ such loose and damaging hyperbole ill assorts with Ministerial responsibility.” You also asserted that the Minister had “quite skirted round the fact that the houses which the Government are building are not for those people upon the tragedy of whose conditions of existence he has dwelt so movingly.” Now, Sir, was a housing survey over a defined area of Dunedin not carried out less than 18 months ago? Did not the inspectors engaged in this survey furnish the General Committee of the City Council with a comprehensive report on it? Has this report been published in full in any local newspaper? The opinion is current that as the ratepayers of this city bore 50 per cent, of the. wages cost of this survey they are entitled to a full report. I venture the opinion that if a comprehensive report of this survey were published the “ Ministerial picture of Dunedin *’ could be viewed from a comparatively practical aspect, and at the same time the people of this city would be able to judge for themselves the aptness or otherwise of his Worship’s comments on the Ministerial statements.—l am, etc., John Ploughman. Dunedin, June 7.