SIR,—Miss Cochrane (see Spectator, October 15th) wishes that the new
cottages for which we are agitating should all, or almost all, have three bedrooms. May I add a few words to explain why I hope they will not ? The additional bedroom, if upstairs (and if not upstairs it will be used as a parlour), will cost £30 or £35. At 5 per cent., this means 6d. a week in rent. Miss Cochrane says that most families at some periods require three bedrooms, and she quotes the experience of a village known to her. I have just made a list of the families living within a short radius of this house. There are fifty- eight of them, and only eight need a third room, and several of these would certainly let it if they had it. I do not think this is an exceptional case. Let us suppose that one family in three has more than three children, and that for ten years out of a married life of thirty this family needs three bed- rooms. If this is correct, one cottage in nine should have more bedrooms than two. I hope we shall beware of raising the rent of eight households by 15 per cent. in order that one may avoid overcrowding. I have heard this story of the need of three bedrooms as long as I can remember. It is a super- stition which common-sense ought to kill at sight. —I am, Sir, &c., A. H. CLOUGH. Burley, Ringwood.
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