Edition Bobbett1. Texts by Elizabeth F. Bobbett: 1.1.3. Correspondence, Letters to newspapers
1953 Elizabeth Bobbett: Letter to the Wicklow People, 30.05.1953
Reply to Cottage Tenants’ Questionnaire
Miss Elizabeth F. Bobbett, MCC, Springfield, Kilbride, Wicklow, has sent the following reply to Mr. T. McCarthy, Honorary Secretary, County Wicklow Executive Committee Cottage Tenants’ Association, Newtownmountkennedy, with reference to the “Questionnaire,” which was published last week, and addressed individually to the seven candidates in the bye-election. “I received your letter and Questionnaire this morning and give you my replies according to the way you have numbered your questions.
1. You ask that the Housing Act xx should be repealed. That the Act is xx as it allows Local Authorities to pry into private affairs of cottage tenants.
As the Act embraces many matters, I take it that you are referring to Part 2, Section 14 of that Act. That Act was passed when three or four Labour Deputies were Ministers under the Inter-Party Government, so surely they must have considered the Section fair and just. It is only in line with other Acts which cover all other sections of the community. For instance, the rules governing the qualifications necessary to obtain the County Council scholarships. Or the Questionnaire required by the Agricultural Credit Corporation from farmers. Or the forms required by the Revenue Department regarding Income Tax.
2. You ask that we seek to abolish the graded rent system. I ask you is it not a fact that many people are living in County Council cottages who are in receipt of wages far above that of the Agricultural Labourer for whom these cottages were originally intended, and is it fair to expect the ratepayers to pay the rent on these cottages for people who in many cases are better off than the ratepayers. I think the graded rent scheme is very fair to all, because if the occupier has his wages reduced, his rent is also reduced.
3. You ask that we seek to prevent Local Authorities increasing rent on change of tenancy. This is not a reasonable request, because when some of those cottages were built, they were let at very low rents to the labourer because the wage then was about 10s a week, and the ratepayers paid about £4 per cottage yearly in rent. How could you consider it fair now when wages are over £4 a week to expect the rent of cottage to be left at the old rate? The Ratepayers are still paying off the loans on cottages built in 1896 and subsequently.
4. Yes, I agree that cottages should be properly disinfected on change of tenancy.
5. You ask that we try and prevent Local Authority building any more cottages in Greystones area unless additional employment is available to absorb the unemployed. As I am not a Councillor for the Greystones area the other Councillors might think it an intrusion for me to express an opinion on that matter. In general I think that houses should only be built where there is a demand for them. You will appreciate the fact that it is not a function of the Local Authority to provide work for the unemployed.
I am always glad to support reasonable requests by Cottage Tenants, but you must remember that the ratepayers have a very heavy burden of rates to meet, and County Wicklow has a very large number of cottages compared to other Counties. I would like to see more cottages built in rural areas where single men are waiting for houses to get married, but unfortunately the Local Government Department will not allow houses to be built for single men. Therefore, it is one of the points in my policy “that more power should be given to County Councillors in the management of County affairs.” I remain yours truly. Elizabeth F. Bobbett, MCC.