184 report — 1877. 



Total apprehensions in 1867, 5042 ; in 1873, 5791. This in the face of an increase 

 in the population of 57,483 during that period." 



In giving his report in 1871 the chief constable says: — "Through the operations 

 of the City Improvement and the Union Railway the city has been cleared of the 

 foulest dens of crime and profligacy, and their occupants been scattered amongst a 

 population breathing a purer moral atmosphere, thereby affording facilities to the 

 police for bringing the vicious to justice more easily and certainly than when the 

 whole formed a concentrated and combined colony of ruffianism." The death-rate, 

 which was 29 per 1000 in 1866, was 25 in 1876 ; should this differerence of 4 con- 

 tinue, it would show a saving of life (counting the population at 500,000) of 2000 

 annually. So many circumstances, however, affect this, that we dare not impute it 

 wholly to these operations, or trust entirely to its continuance. 



In about five years after the passing of the Act, the Committee began to dispose 

 of the ground for carrying out the Improvement plans, care was taken not to put 

 much in the market at one time, and the prices realized have exceeded their expec- 

 tations — in some cases more than sufficient to recoup them, in others less ; but the 

 prices realized have been on the whole most satisfactory. In every case the ground 

 has been sold by public sale. 



When the operations of the Committee began to be seen, and the want of work- 

 men's houses began to be felt (a want which had existed for some time previously), 

 builders immediately commenced the erection of such dwellings. The rage for 

 building these went on from year to year; new streets of houses of this description 

 have sprung up, until the supply is now in excess of the demand. 



In an able pamphlet on this subject by Mr. Morrison, the present able and active 

 chairman of the committee, it is shown, that since the passing of the Act, now ten 

 years, there have been provided 40,460 houses within the municipality, giving 

 accommodation for 202,320 persons, while within a radius of half a mile of the city 

 there has been provided a further accommodation for not less than 100,000, making 

 accommodation for 302,300, to meet the natural increase of the population and 

 the 28,965 persons displaced by the Improvement Act. In alluding to the accom- 

 modation thus provided, he says, " he believes it constitutes a fact unprecedented 

 in the history of any city, not even excepting Chicago itself." 



In the early stages of their displacements, some fears existed on the part of the 

 committee as to finding accommodation for the population so displaced, and two 

 large lots of building-ground in the immediate vicinity of the town, and costing 

 about £74,000, were therefore purchased, so as to give ground to builders at 

 moderate rates for erecting such houses. The plau proved eminently successful, 

 and has resulted in a profit of about £30,000. In the displacement of so many, 

 the Committee found that there were living in these localities certain poor persons 

 unable to pay for more than the most miserable accommodation, viz. Is. or Is. 6d. 

 per week. To provide for such, and as a single apartment in the new buildings 

 could not be had under £5 or £5 5s. per annum, or say from 6s. 8r/. to 8s. 3d. per 

 month, the Committee erected Model Lodging Houses in six different quarters of 

 the city, the cost of lodging, including fire, gas, and cooking utensils being 3|c?. 

 per night, or Is. 9^/. per week, Sunday being allowed gratis. These have been 

 taken advantage of to a large extent, and, while self-supporting, have enabled the 

 inmates to live with more security and in a more healthy atmosphere than that in 

 which they were previously located. As yet there has been no case of infectious 

 disease in any of these houses. These, with the exception of a Model Tenement in 

 Drygate, are the only buildings which have been erected by the Committee, the 

 others having been done by private enterprise. 



Lastly, as to cost. The property sold and what is on hand, moderately valued, 

 amounted on 31st May 'last to £1,647,332, while the sums paid amount to 

 £1,612,504, showing a difference of £34,828 in favour of the improvements ; so that 

 these, properly speaking, may be said to have paid themselves. Taxes, however, 

 have been raised to the extent of £283,462, and there is still to raise, at 2d. per £, 

 for four years, £80,000, making in all £363,462. From this has to be deducted 

 price of a public park, purchased and made over to the citizens, £40,000. If from 

 this we deduct eighteen acres of most valuable ground thrown into streets, and 

 open spaces valued at not less than £100,000, and a further sum for paving streets 



