SIR,—Housing estates have many things to suffer, some of which
are the outcome of their
planners and designers. Their hardest lot to bear is those who write about them. Mr. Curran's article is typical of conclusions drawn from looking at the comic strips in the tabloids that are said to be the art form of the New Estate. Regarded as a comic strip, his article is understandable; as a comment on new hous- ing estates, it is unbelievable.
I have worked on the Becontree Housing Estate for more than twenty-five years. If Mr.
Curran wants to know its seamy side, I will issue an invitation. He can come and work in any of the eight libraries under my control, for as long as he likes, without a reward, save that of knowing something about the dweller on the New Housing Estate. As I cannot identify the profile presented by Mr. Curran, I will present one or two practical facts.
(1) The building of Dagenham had nothing to do with the motor trade. It was an official development of London by the LCC for the rehousing of badly housed Londoners. The Ford Motor Company did not buy their site until after the Estate had been planned, designed, and very largely built.
(2) Rents paid by tenants vary from 33s. 6d. ner week to 18s. The average might be the four-roomed house without a parlour, which costs 22s. 6d. to 27s. 6d. per week.
(3) We have our share of indifferent parents, but I found, when I was Evacuation Officer, standards of parenthood were generally high and, on occasions, heroic. I turn my attention particularly to this sentence—Tor the New Estate the word "book" means a periodical such as Reveille or Woman's Own; something with stiff covers is called "a libri ry book." ' One of my duties is to purchase books for libraries on behalf of the Borough of Dagenham. I purchase £10,000 worth a year. If Mr. Curran accepts my invita- tion he will, as a well lettered and educated man, find very ample opportunities of further increasing his knowledge of books which I expect to be, at this moment, wide and liberal.
Mr. Curran's general assumptions are like the ancient syllogism that all .donkeys have ears, and creatures with ears are, consequently, all donkeys.—Yours faithfully, Borough of Dagenham
JOHN O'LEARY
Librarian
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