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7
The general character of Hackney is changing every year. It is
becoming every year denser, both in population and dwellings. It is
also becoming more an industrial than a residential district. These
changes are almost invariably associated with an increased death-rate;
but although the above alterations have been taking place in Hackney
during the last ten or twelve years, the usual result has not followed.
The death-rate if anything, apart from weather influences, has
decreased. This must be attributed to the efforts made by the
Council, through its Public Health Committee, to provide the
Borough with the means to carry out the provisions of the various
Acts of Parliament bearing upon Public Health. Both in point of
staff and equipment, for dealing with disease, the Borough of
Hackney can compare very favourably with any district in Great
Britain.
I am pleased to state that the several Officers of the Public
Health Department have, on the whole, carried out the duties
allotted to them to my entire satisfaction.
Population and Density.—The population of the Borough of
Hackney, at the middle of the year 1903, I estimate to be 223,716 and
the density 67.9 persons per acre. At the census of 1901 there were
30,419 inhabited houses in the district. This gives with the above
population 7 persons per inhabited house. The population and
density of the various sub-districts of the Borough are given in the
following table:—