52 
THE HOUSING QUESTION 
The following questions and replies in the House 
of Commons throw a ray of light on Sir Alfred Mond’s 
familiarity with his subjects :— 
loth August, 1921. 
Mr. Trevelyan Thomson asked the Minister of Health whether 
he has recently sanctioned the erection of a further 456 houses, 
more or less, in Newcastle-on-Tyne ; and whether he can now 
see his way to grant the application of the Middlesborough County 
Borough Council for the erection of zoo more houses, seeing that 
the housing shortage and resulting overcrowding is as severe 
in Middlesborough as in Newcastle-on-Tyne ? 
Sir Alfred Mono : “ I have agreed to tenders being obtained 
for the erection of a further zoo to 400 houses at Newcastle-on- 
Tyne. In view of the large number of houses contracted for at 
Middlesborough which is still to be completed, I have advised 
the Local Authority that their proper course is to concentrate 
at present on the houses already sanctioned and to leave open 
the question of additional houses till these are nearer completion.” 
Mr. Thomson : “ Is the Right Hon. Gentleman aware that 
owing to his refusal to sanction these houses a number of brick 
layers and others in the building trade are out of work, and 
receiving unemployment pay ? ” 
Sir Alfred Mono : " They might go to work at Newcastle' 
then." 
From his last reply it is clear that the Minister of 
Health conceives that working men can at any time 
change their home, with or without their families, 
and go and live elsewhere. One wonders how he would 
care to do so himself. One wonders, too, whether he 
had made any enquiry as to the availability of living 
accommodation for more workmen at Newcastle. It 
is time that Ministers realised that working men are 
human beings like themselves.