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which has been drawn with a view to confining within the narrowest
possible limits the compensation to be paid to unworthy landlords and
extortionate house farmers.
9. The cost is mainly that of the land. Every interest must be
bought out in order that the existing streets may be closed and new
ones laid out. The removal of nuisances is always costly, but it must
be met in a large spirit, and the work carried out in a way to reflect
credit on the Council.
10. It has boon objected that to demolish houses does not benefit
those living in them. Not directly perhaps but indirectly it does. If the
worst areas are from time to time demolished, and good dwellings built
in their place, respectable tenants rush in from all sides to occupy them,
the houses they vacate will bo tenanted in turn by the persons
originally displaced, and thus both parties are better housed than
before. The mere scattering of the people over a larger area is a
benefit, by preventing the herding together of the vicious and criminal,
and so giving a better chance to their children. Experience proves
that the "demolition" policy tends to lower the death-rate, to improve
the health of the people, to diminish pauperism and drunkeness, vice
and crime.
G.B. LONGSTAFF.
Highlands, PUTNEY HEATH, S.W.,
29th October, 1890.
Though it does not come within the year 1890, it is advisable
that I should here shortly detail the subsequent action taken by
the London County Council:—
In accordance with the new act the following advertisement was
issued.
County of London.
Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, 53 and 54, Vict., c. 70.
London (Boundary Street, Bethnal Green) Improvement Scheme,
1890.
Notice is hereby given that the London County Council, being the
Local Authority for the County of London, have, in pursuance of the
Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890 (53 and 54 Vict., c. 70),
made a Scheme for the improvement of the area, the limits of which
are stated in the Schedule hereunder, and which area contains by
estimation 15 acres or thereabouts.