CIVIC IMPRO I EAJEAT. 



527 



matter of city improvements was no longer 

 considered a fad. It was a necessity. In 

 that respect Hamilton was ahead of aiiy 

 other city on the continent. After hearing 

 the remarks of visitors to the summer carni- 

 val he was satisfied on that point. The 

 work of the City Improvement Society was 

 doing much to advertise the city. Continu- 

 ing, Mr. Steele referred to the fine condition 

 of the grounds surrounding T. Upton & 

 Co.'s factory. He hoped many other manu- 

 facturers would follow Mr. Upton's exam- 

 ple in future years. The school surround- 

 ings and church surroundings had been im- 

 proved during the last year, but in the latter 

 case there was still room for improvement. 

 Getting down to the civic matters, Mr. 

 Steele said that the board of health was not 

 gfiven a fair chance by the aldermen. It 

 was never given sufficient money to do its 

 work properly. He criticised the aldermen 

 for cutting down the board's grant this year 

 so that the system of semi-weekly collection 

 of garbage during the summer months had 

 to be abolished. He was glad that the trees 

 had been handed over to the care of the 

 parks board. They were one of the city's 

 most valuable assets and would now be pro- 

 perly cared for. Regarding the work of 

 the police, he had no complaint to make 

 about the officers, yet they did not give the 

 society and board of health the support they 

 should. The cause thereof was that there 

 were loopholes in several of the by-laws. 

 These should be plugged up. The society 

 expected to get the Beckett drive fixed up 

 and opened to the public very shortly. In 

 conclusion, Mr. Steele that that he hoped 

 that it would not be long before the city 

 would have a by-law making it an oflFence 

 to spit on the sidewalks. He then read a 

 letter from Chairman Stewart, of the board 

 of works, expressing regret at his inability 

 to be present. 



Secretary Galbreaith was the next speak- 

 er. He explained the nature of the work 



which the society undertook this year and 

 gave credit to President Steele, Mrs. San- 

 ford and F. B. Greening for assisting the 

 society financially and otherwise, in making 

 the competitions a success. 



The presentation of prizes then began. 

 Rev. Father Holden, superintendent of the 

 separate schools, and James Chisholm, chair- 

 man of the Board of Education, presenting 

 the prizes for attractive window boxes. 



Father Holden said he was pleased with 

 the work being accomplished by the society. 

 He was particularly interested in the work 

 among the school children. That he con- 

 sidered was a most important branch of the 

 work, for the children of to-day would be 

 men and women of a few years hence. As 

 a result of the efforts of the children the 

 grounds surrounding the separate schools 

 had been made more beautiful this year than 

 ever before. 



Mr. Chisholm said it was a privilege for 

 him to be present to represent the Board of 

 Education. The board did not claim any 

 credit for the success of the society's scheme. 

 The board, previous to this year, had been 

 dilatory, and was thankful to the society for 

 calling its attention to the fact that the 

 grounds' surrounding the schools required 

 some care. The society was doing a great 

 work for the city, and personally, he wished 

 it every success. It had made Hamilton 

 one of the most beautiful cities in the world. 



The presentation of prizes donated by 

 President Steele for corner rockeries came 

 next, the presentation being made by Mrs. 

 Steele, assisted by F. B. Greening. 



Mr. Greening made a few^ remarks. He 

 said the cornery rockery competition was, in 

 his opinion, among the most important of 

 the society's competitions. The rockeries 

 were useful, as well as ornamental, for they 

 prevented careless people from cutting 

 across the corners and thus destroying 

 bwns. He hoped more corner rockeries 

 would be built next vear. 



