(EDITOR'S NOTE: : the story of Donna Whiteley, a North Vancouver mother of five .on welfare, was published in The News of Jan. 21, she has been. criticized in an. unusually large number of - readers’ letters. Below, . Mrs. Whiteley replies to _ those criticisms.) © Dear Editor: Yes, I do. .have « four, bedrooms, but in fact the house I am renting is only. listed as a ‘two-bedroom house with two bedrooms added in the basement. I have five children: one,: the eldest, who has just’ ‘returned from Ontario, and an eighteen-year-old son, are both paying room and board; a sixtéen-year-old’ daughter : and a thirteen-year-old ‘son are still in high school; ‘and a. seventeen-year-old son still © in: school lives. away from . home. will probably ;:be, returning - home: to live ‘quite soda. oe temporarily but” ; ‘spends, s some.’ weekends.and olidays ‘with “ ‘us. and | true that it ot the Ministry of Human Resources who is paying my, welfare, but us the tax- payers. I, too, am a tax- payer. As a tenant, I pay property taxes. As a con- sumer, I pay.sales taxes. And for many years, I paid in- come taxes. “We ‘all pay taxes,. one way: ‘or another. I may not be a “paid worker” now,.but I have been one at _Yarious times over the past twenty-five yedrs, in. ad- dition, ,to. working in . the. ‘home and raising my children. Or perhaps you feel that the raising. of children is of no great im- - Portance? To “answer the question about whether I ever _ thought of going out to “earn”'a living; that’s exactly. -- what I’ve-been.trying todo. ‘Unfortunately, . asa 44-year- . old single, parent who ‘has’ ‘Deen. out ‘of the active work “e Could you support two growing children. and _ yourself on my income? | don’t think so. All I am asking is that Human Resources subsidize my income to a livable amount until I can imcrease my earnings sufficiently to support my family, after which I would need no further assistance. - At present I receive $647 per month from Human Resources. If I were to earn; say, $750. a month, and -Human ‘Resources sub- sidized me with $450 a month, we could manage {although. just barely) and us taxpayers, could save almost $200 a month. - Did I think twice about having children if I wasn't - prepared: -to ‘take care of them? Did it ever occur to . the :questioner that it takes : ‘two. TTeertain to» create life? “the -added 1 expenses of my aa babe ‘the. ‘game ines and . dreams as anyone else. we ‘Did I try to get along with my husband? Qh how I tried, taking him back three times . . before the final separation. and ultimate divorce. By that time he:.had = im- pregnated another woman, whom he_ subsequently married, gave two children, and deserted. Does that satisfy small minds? Believe me, I have not got anything free in this world. I have paid for everything — with money, with work, with pain, and with love.. No, my children do not plan to be on welfare. Two | are already working and supporting themselves. One works part-time on weekends. The two younger ones earn their own spen- ding money, and my daughter even manages to buy most of her own clothes. Tam proud of my children. In closing, I would like to express my sincere thanks to all those caring people who have written to me, dropped in at my home, telephoned, and in other ways shown . Dear Editor: I read with interest the article by Mr. Wright regarding Mayor Hum- phrey’s frustration in his dealings with Victoria; I know exactly how he feels. It must be three years ago since I wrote to the Municipal Hall asking the Mayor and his Councillors if they could do anything about the traffic problem we have in the lane between 17th and 18th streets north of Marine Drive. This block has no private homes, just” buildings with. a Food cooked Hot & Tasty at your Table 5 “be J A VMLITAL JAPANESE VILLAGE Steak House (DINING LOUNGE) Open.7 days fram Spm 83 Chesterfield Ave. NV 986-11 55 fone Mack from S ces apartment - _ large . percentage of elderly tenants and is being used -as an alternative to Marine Drive (presumably to by-pass the lights at 17th); traffic is heavy with the usual per- centage of speeding and bad driving making it-hazardous for elderly pedestrians. After a delay of several -weeks I received a reply stating that the authorities could neither put speed _ bumps in the lane nor make it a one-way road; they -would, however, see that the Alaska Sole Tea or coftee and dessert Alaska Crab 10.75 Ribs 10.25 Cod Creolo 7.60 Dinner Special Tuesday thru Sunday ? Dinners for the Price of 1 OR includes vegetable of the day. rice, soup of the day Try our Special or choose trom our regular menu— We're proud to Introduce our new European trained chet Bruce King *Hugh plays piano Friday, Saturday & Sunday tHe SUNDOWNER restaurant located right on the edge af the sea 3 miles north of Horseshoe Bay 921-8161 ” please call for reservations * speed limit signs were made more prominent. ‘Some ; three, years later . nothing has been done about | that, probably: because there has never been a speed limit sign in this lane: _ : One could be ‘excused for ‘that the powers that be at City Hall neither know nor care about the con- ditions some of the residents of the municipality face. Yes, Mr. Mayor, I know exactly how you feel. F. Hanson West Vancouver Poached Salmon Steak with Hollandaise sauce $4 2-50 > 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Off their concern, not only for — me and my family, but for the: thousands like us. Their support has been much appreciated. Donna Whiteley North Vancouver. me ORDER IN CH “and my husband ~ Jost 31! - ee, tto obligation explanation of the weit len program that could change your hfe Rm. 104-585 16th St. Franchise areas available eSkis eBoots Clothing eand more OLIN-K2 . KNEISSL DYNASTAR GARMONT NORDICA SCOTT KASTINGER ANBA : on gt -W ~DITRANI a Personal Shopping Only No Phone Calls 936 SOUTH PARK ROYAL, WEST VANCOUVER,B.C.