[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—Lord Leigh inquires in
his letter of January 24th as to the cost of upkeep of a steel house. There can be little doubt that, as compared with a good type of concrete house, not only is the cost of upkeep excessive, but the life of the steel house will be far shorter than that of the concrete house, so that the value of the steel house, even supposing that its first cost is less than that of the concrete house (which remains to be proved), will compare very unfavourably with that of the concrete house. Why, then, should this untried type be singled out by the Government for preferential treatment when there are other systems of proved merit, which also employ a maximum of unskilled labour and do not require the services of the bricklayer and the plasterer ? The latter can be pro- duced as cheaply as steel houses, and will last ten times as long.—I am, Sir, &c., H. VAUGHAN KENT. 34 Victoria Street, London, S.W. 1.
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