Welsh Journals

To the Editor. Sir,—May I be permitted to applaud the spirited paragraph by M.M." in last month's Welshwoman's Page," on the importance of housing as one of the two chief domestic issues in national affairs. It is encouraging to see emphasized the standpoint of national honour and the keeping of good faith with those who took public men at their word when they promised better, more humane conditions, after the successful conclusion of the war that was to end war. Only the fringe of the housing problem has been dealt with under the present scheme, which has been a bitter disappointment to many con- cerned. There are still thousands of families huddled in lodgings and half-houses or in hutments and tin shacks. The local authorities have only been able with their reduced schemes to accommodate the most urgent cases even when all the unhoused are dealt with there still remain the badly housed dwellers in slums, and the people whose houses are entirely inadequate to their family needs. If the Government are resolved on bringing their present programme to a rapid conclusion--and apart from Geddes' axes there are limitations in the scheme which call for attention -then it is the bounden duty of this Government or their successors in office to promote an extension of the present Acts or further legislation on housing at an early date. We in Wales are lamentably short of our fair quota of the after war provision; owing to the physical difficulties of our valleys and hillsides, and other causes, building prices in the boom period were higher here than in England, so fewer contracts were let. Now, the sudden large decrease in miners and other workers earnings, and their subsequent inability to pay three times pre- war rents, have added a further complication. But building Ballad of the famous Caerphilly runner, founded on an authentic story told to the writer by a native of that town forty years ago. The reader will perceive that this was a race against time, and Gitto was running bare-foot. There was Gitto Nyth y Fran, O how splendidly he ran From Caerphilly down to Newport Town and back. For a wager he did run, And some rascals thought it fun For to scatter broken glass upon the track. But young Gitto's eyes were quick To espy the dirty trick, So he turned about and jumped a foot-path stile; And went trotting o'er the grass (So much softer than the glass), And cut off about a quarter of a mile. Then he took the road again, And with all his might and main He sped along, and came to Newport town. He arrived in first rate time As the bells began to chime, And cantered round the half way goal hands down." CORRESPONDENCE. WALES AND HOUSING. GITTO NYTH Y FRAN. prices are falling rapidly, so to stop now would be folly. The houses must be provided, and the prevailing disillusion- ment and hopelessness should not be allowed to deflect our judgment to the point of trusting to unadulterated private enter- prise to deliver the goods." By all means let us have co-operative methods and private enterprise under control, in addition to municipal action, but a return to inferior standards and the packing of the maximum number of houses on the minimum space should surely be resisted by all progressive men and women. Town-planning, which should be preliminary to better hous- ing, has received but scant attention in our country. Wales has her own essential contributions to make both to the con- sideration and in the carrying out of regional and rural develop- ment schemes. Posterity will hold us responsible for the neglect of them. We have a live propagandist organisation in Wales devoting itself to the solution of all these problems — the Welsh Housing and Development Association, 38, Charles Street, Cardiff, which is deserving of the support of the readers of the Welsh Outlook- I feel sure the Chairman (Mr. D. Lleufer Thomas) and the Secretary would welcome applications for information and advice. I am, Sir, faithfully yours, T. Alwyn Lloyd. Cardiff, 11th February, 1922. The writer of the Social Diary regrets that, owing to illness and pressure of other work, this month's instalment has had to be held over till the next issue. Gitto took the same course home, Fresh and lightsome as the foam Which is raised aloft and drifted through the air; Yet for all he went so fast He made a sprint at last, And he won the race with lots of time to spare. Then a dreadful thing befel Which I'm very loth to tell, For it turned the joy of triumph into tears. Gitto's sweetheart joined the crowd. And to welcome him was proud As she helped to give him mighty ringing cheers. By the winning-post she stood In a wild excited mood, [she cried; And as he strode past, You've won I you've won I" Then she slapped him on the back, And he felt his heart-strings crack. You've killed me girl I he said, and fell, and died. Weep for Gitto Nyth y Fran- Think how splendidly he ran, And how smart he was to dodge the trap they laid. Weep for her-if weep you can, Mourn for one who killed the man She loved the best as he loved her, poor maid I Pedwar Ugain.