1938-04-29 — Page 10

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WHY WORRY?

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COWAN'S

THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 29, 1938.

The China Mail

Ninety-Third Year of Publication

Wyndham Street, Hong Kong

Telephone 20022.

Loution Office: Garrick Street, London, W GIZ

Notice To Contributors. AZ miscations intended for publication. should be addressed to

the W

Subscription Rates.

alive to the importance of these aspects of the question, and by its control of subsithes can bring pressure to bear on the local authorities and the private build- ers. It may eventually be found in Hong Kong that the subsidy is a valuable and efficient instru- ment.

Berlin-Bagdad Revival

One of the nightmares which

the Editor, and be accompanied by Spoiled British statesmen's repose 's Name and Address, before the World War has been resurrected and refurbished. not necessarily for insertion" "but

Fears that German efforts to 48 a

antes of good faith

connect Berlin and Bagdad by rail would lead to German domination of the Danube basin and under- mine British influence in the Near East were undorihtedly exagger- lated But much can be done with an alliterative phrase and

3 Months

6 Months

One Year

HKS-9.00 FEK-$1889

HK$36.00

Postage Abroad - Extra

:

Hong Kong, Friday, April 29, 1938. fear-fed imagination. Much will

HOUSING

seen

be done with the new Berlin- Bagdad bugaboo. Already a threat to Great Britain is in the taking over of Austria's of "Danubian feet and Chancellor Hitler's plans for creating a German **war fleet" on

the

There are many varieties opinion in Britain as to the methods which should be pursued m providing houses for the work Danube. Austria's fleet consists ing classes, and there is no dom-of one "watchboat" with a can- estic question which evokes more non and six motorboats armed And al- eager debate in the House of with machine guns. Commons. But in the main this ready the headlines talk of "turn- is not a party question. Foring the British Navy's flank" nearly twenty years members of What submarines and other craft all parties have vied with one might do if built and if able to get down the Danube, through another in seeking to promote forward policy. The result is still the Black Sea and into the Medit- far from being all that it should erranean without being bombed be, but it is remarkable. Three might well be left to the calcula- and a half million houses have tons of naval experts. But so civilians enjoy being been built in England and Wales long as

scared it won't." since the World War, a figure un- Nor will the small fact that DO IT! approached by any other country the German Navy is limited to 35

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in proportion to the population.

The speed has been increased per cent. that of Britain interfere during recent years through the with, new nightmares. But the practical value of a German fleet efforts of the Government to pro- mote slum. clearance and to el-on the Danube will be chiefly in extending visible evidence of Ger- minate overcrowding.

But there is one important tries that touch the great river. man power through all the coun- field of progress for the housing The real flanking of Britain will reformer in which up to now-too be the extension of German econo- little has been done." The needs

mic dominion through the Dan- of the agricultural worker are still acute Workers on the land be region. That may be slight are poorly paid. The low-rented houses in which they have been living are in many cases falling into decay, and without excep line with passenger service is

assisted by a war fleet, but it will depend much more on real The skill and service in trade. project for a Berlin-Bagdad air

tional assistance it is impossible to provide houses at a reat which probably more important than

naval plans they can afford to pay. Though manufacture of nightmares.

except for the there is an increasing demand for labour on the land the steady

* ** *

drift of population from the School Stories country to the towns continues,

and to no small extent this is due It is the runner-up that pro- to the difficulties of getting cheap vides the difficulty. That, at least habitable houses.

is how it seems to those people

To this question, then, the in London who are currently fill- Government, having attacked the ing the newspaper columns with problems of the slums and over-discussions about which are the

Agents Local & Dutport, Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co., Ltd. crowding, is now giving its atten- best school stories in the world.

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tion. In one serise, it is much Concerning the first on the list, the same problem as that facing no one appears to have any doubt. Hong Kong's housing commis- whatever. "Tom Brown's School- sion who are still, after nearly days," by Thomas Hughes, is three years, studying the housing nearly a century old, but it still of the under-privileged at econo- gets all the loudest cheers. It mic rents, Le rents they can is with the second choice that afford to pay.

disagreement enters. Mr. H This problem of providing ap-A. Vachell's "The Hill," Dean propriate dwellings for a specialFarrar's "Erie,” Kipling's "Stalky type of person presents peculiarland Co." each obtain votes. One difficulties. They should be near selector suddenly recalls the the workers work, but also near United States and nominates the market. They must be cheap. Tom Sawyer." But none gets a In the English countryside, too, decisive majority. they must not be unsightly at If the views of Sir Frank Flet this moment when so many peocher, formerly Headmaster of ple are crying out against the Charterhouse, one of the most desecration of the English coun-famous of English schools, are tryside it is of the greatest im-correct, there really should be no portance that new building discussion at all. For Sir Frank schemes should not contribute to thinks that, in the nature of the spread of ugliness in beauti-things, a good school story is ful places.

inpossible to write. The argu- Fortunately the department ment for this thesis is that child- responsible for housing in Britain hood lacks those exciting crises the Ministry of Health is which are the making of a novel.