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model dwellings, built purposely for such letting, more stringent rules
are in force, and practically not more than two persons per room is
allowed. In Glasgow the need for a higher standard in tenement
houses has been recognised, as in one-room dwellings 800 to 1,200
cubic feet per person is required, and in two-room dwellings 700 cubic
feet. It seems that improvement is required to a considerable
extent in the mode of letting, the class of people permitted to occupy
the houses and the number which should occupy a house let in
tenements. If owners were as strict in looking after these matters as
are those responsible for the various block buildings, there is no doubt an
immediate improvement, both morally and physically, could be effected.
In houses such as the Council's Dwellings, water is laid on to each
tenement, ample sanitary accommodation is provided, there is a proper
place for keeping food, suitable means for cooking and washing, rendering
each tenement complete in itself. But in a house "made-down" from
occupation by one family, to accommodate a family on every floor,
perhaps in every room, there has been no power to make the owner
provide such suitable and necessary requirements. The County
Council have recommended on several occasions that power should
be obtained to ensure better accommodation for the tenants in
tenement houses, but, with the exception of improving somewhat
the law as to water supply, they have not succeeded in obtaining
Parliamentary sanction to their suggestions. I have expressed the
opinion in various reports, and repeat it now, that no owner should be
allowed to convert a one-family house into a tenement house, or to
erect a building to be used as such, without obtaining the sanction of
the sanitary authority, who should see that sufficient and suitable
arrangements had been made as regard storage of food, cooking, water
supply, w.c. accommodation, &c. For existing tenement houses, if the
owner were unwilling to bring them up to the above standard, then the
local authority should have power to fix the number of persons who
may occupy such houses on a higher scale than that allowed by the
By-laws, varying from 400 to 1,000 cubic feet per person, according to
the circumstances of the case.
I have referred to the number of deaths from alcoholism; these
indicate to a small extent only the serious amount of harm which
"drink" effects in this neighbourhood. There is no doubt that a very
considerable amount of intemperance exists in certain parts of the ward,
especially among women. The demolition of other property, and the
growth of public opinion on the subject, has led to the reduction of the
number of licensed premises, 60 licensed premises having been done away
with since 1891; the present number is 94, a figure susceptible of further
reduction. If a different class of persons lived in the neighbourhood of