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classes, and the local authority should then be required to rebuild dwelling houses for the working
classes on that site.
The action of the Committee was approved by the Council.
During the year the Government introduced a Bill to amend Part III. of the Act, so as to
give local authorities power to acquire land outside their districts for the purpose of erecting
artizans' dwellings.
In July, the Housing of the Working Classes Committee reported that a deputation
consisting of members of the Housing of the Working Classes and Parliamentary Committees had
waited on the Home Secretary to submit the views of the Council that the Housing of the Working
Classes Act, 1890, should be amended as follows—(1) That the period of the sinking fund in respect
of working class dwellings should be extended to 100 years; (2) That land should be taken as an
asset against debt; (3) That the Council should have power to amalgamate the accounts under
Parts I., II., and III. of the Act. At the same time a deputation consisting of members of the
Highways Committee submitted the views of the Council on the question of Standing Order,
No. 22, of the House of Commons, which requires that the promoters of the Tramway Bill should
obtain the consent of the road authority in any case where power is sought to break up a road,
thus giving the road authority a veto upon the Bill. The Housing of the Working Classes
Committee reported Mr. Chaplin's reply as follows—
Mr. Chaplin, in reply, stated with regard to the extension of the sinking fund period to 100 years,
that he was afraid he could not hold out much encouragement as to this particular branch of the
subject. He pointed out that he had already given his views on the point in the House of Commons,
and he felt that if the period were extended, such a course would be throwing a considerable liability
on future generations. In respect of the demand that land should be treated as an asset, he regarded
this question in a different light. There were, nevertheless, many objections to it. He would,
however, lay both points before the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with a view to considering what
could be done. As to the amalgamation of the accounts to be kept under Parts I., II., and III. of
the Acts, Mr. Chaplin said it appeared to be purely a matter of accounts, and that unless on further
consideration he saw some grave objections, he was prepared to favourably consider the matter.
We are glad to be able to report that an amendment effecting the object sought has been embodied
in the bill.
On the question of workmen's trains, Mr. Ritchie expressed keen sympathy with the wishes of
the deputation, as he felt that it was useless for the Council to erect dwellings in the suburbs
unless facilities were afforded to workpeople to go to and from outlying districts. He was of opinion,
however, that the Committee did not give full credit to the powers the law at present possessed.
The Board of Trade had very large powers, and he thought that there was little difficulty in securing
the provision the Committee asked for, provided that the working classes were living in the district
requiring train service. We may point out that the difficulty is that the railway companies cannot
be compelled to provide workmen's trains until the dwellings are occupied in a particular district, and
that the people will not occupy the dwellings until workmen's trains have been provided. With regard,
however, to the point urged that companies should give some guarantee for the provision of workmen's
trains to districts where working-class dwellings were about to be erected, Mr. Ritchie said it was a
proposition that could not, in his opinion, be defended, and he thought that the existing law would
meet the necessities of the case as the Board would consider themselves bound to move in the matter
when building accommodation had been provided.
The Act passed during the year empowered the county and borough councils to establish
or acquire lodging houses for the working classes outside their district, and further contained
the provision that where land acquired by a Council under Part III. of the principal Act is
appropriated for the purpose of rehousing persons displaced by the Council under the powers of
any other part of that Act, or of any other enactment, the receipts and expenditure in respect of
that land (including all costs in respect of the acquisition and laying out of the land), and of any
buildings erected thereon, may be treated as receipts and expenditure under that part or
enactment, but shall be accounted for under a separate head.
Administration of the Housing of the Working Classes Act.
During the year progress was made in carrying out the schemes for the improvement
of unhealthy areas which the Council had undertaken under the Housing of the Working
Classes Act.
(1) Schemes undertaken by the Council under Part I. of the Act.
On the 23rd January the Council resolved to petition the Home Secretary to confirm the
schemes for the improvement of the following areas—Nightingale-street, in the parish of St.
Marylebone; Garden-row, Roby-street, Baltic-court and Honduras-street, in the parish of St.
Luke; Webber-row and King's Bench-walk, in the parish of St. George-the-Martyr; Ayle'sburyplace,
in the parish of Clerkenwell; Union-buildings, in the parish of Holborn; and Burford'scourt,
Tucker's-court and Favonia-street, in the district of Poplar.
On the 12th and 13th March a local enquiry was held as to the Webber-row and King's
Bench-walk (St. George-the-Martyr) scheme.
On the 15th and 16th March a local enquiry was held as to the Aylesbury-place,
(Clerkenwell) and Union-buildings (Holborn) scheme.
On the 22nd March a local enquiry was held as to the Burford's-court, Tucker's-court
and Favonia-street areas (Poplar) scheme.
On the 29th and 30th March a local enquiry was held as to the Garden-row, Roby-street,
Baltic-street and Honduras-street (St. Luke) scheme.
On the 6th April a local enquiry was held as to the Nightingale-street (St. Marylebone)
scheme.
On the 26th June the Housing of the Working Classes Committee reported that all these
schemes had been confirmed, and later in the year the necessary statutory powers were obtained.
Progress was made in carrying out the schemes which had been previously confirmed.