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partly by the surplus of births over deaths, being the
natural increase of a mixed population in ordinary
times; but there is also an artificial increase, made up
by immigration, composed chiefly of the working
class families coming from old neighbourhoods to the
newly-built houses.
This augmentation of population is not altogether
a gain, and as it ought to be, a sign of increasing
prosperity. Many of the newly-built houses, although
originally designed and built for one family, are let out
in tenements and single rooms to several families, in
which there is a general tendency to over-crowding.
In Praed Street, a large number of newly-built
houses have become occupied since tjie census of
1871, thereby increasing the population of St. John's
District somewhat beyond its normal rate.
The class of persons living in Amberley Eoad,
Netley Street, Shirland Eoad, and in Mewses and
Streets adjacent, have a large proportion of young
children living in unfavorable conditions for health,
whilst Pauperism already exists in 30 per cent, of the
houses. And although they are in a perfect sanitary
state, clean and orderly now, it is suggestive for
future consideration, whether any and what steps
should be taken, to prevent the wholesale influx of a
colossus of pauperism, with the consequent burdens of
poverty and sickness. As your Officer of Public
Health, it is my duty to point to the facts at present
before me.
Sanitary improvements of a District, and efforts to
check the large amount of preventive sickness, will
always have a popular interest.