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39
fied by the general "smartening up" of the property, not only outside,
but also inside.
Paradoxically, where it used to be a cause of friction that the
houses of immigrants were neglected in appearance, the reverse
situation now sometimes gives rise to tension. The tenants in the
house sometimes mistrust the "all-out" attempt of the landlord
to effect improvements and changes, thinking them to be a means
to speculate, or they resent his "intrusion" into their apartments
to effect these repairs and decorations. The landlords, on the other
hand, tend to be contemptuous of people who they see as being
content to live in shabby and drab surroundings.
Petty persecutions still abound in landlord tenant tensions, and
are often of a nature that they cannot be resolved by court action,
which is why so many such cases are brought to me in the hope that
persuasion will be effective.
Complications arising from common law unions, extra marital
relations and previous histories of couples who are marrying still
feature on the list of problems brought to my attention.
I am beginning to see more hopeful signs about this situation,
however. With the increasingly "Londonisation" of the womenfolk,
there is an appreciation on their part that they in fact hold the key
to the eventual solution. There are signs that they are beginning to
consider themselves as social equals of the menfolk. During the
last year I have also found there are more women who are prepared
to take erring menfolk to court on grounds of desertion and for
paternity orders.
In this context, another interesting change I have noted during
my period in this work is the gradual adoption by the women of
modern European fashions and hairstyles suitably adapted to individual
personalities.
It is with some amusement, I remember, it used to be that some
European men were apprehensive less the migrant men should pay
attention to their womenfolk and that the women might find them
attractive, whereas now there are similar signs of apprehension
among some of the European women as they see the blossoming
and increasing sophistication of the West Indian girls, and the effect
that this is having on all normal males (coloured and white).
Another problem requiring attention is that of the children who
are brought from the West Indies by a mother or father who has
now formed a permanent union or marriage in this country. The
children coming over, who are the result of earlier unions, are sometimes
rejected by the parent who has now become a stranger or by
the partner who is not the parent.
The situation can be further complicated by the fact that when
the children (who are generally older) attend school they very soon
adopt the customs and attitudes of indigenous children, and in consequence
do not always give the "new" parent figure the respect
which he feels is his due in view of the sacrifice made to bring the
child over.
This is a problem of adaptation; but, nevertheless, it can be
emotionally extremely painful to all concerned, and even disrupt
a hitherto happy family unit.