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the passing of the Metropolis Local Management Act, we have
had evidence from five or six different witnesses to the effect that
Clerkenwell and not the parish of Clerkenwell only, but the surrounding
parts of London, part of St. Luke's, part of Holborn,
and part of St. Pancras, have been exceptions to the general improvement;
that whereas the east end of London generally has
improved very much of late years, Clerkenwell on the whole from
various causes (I am not speaking of the action of the vestry in
particular) has gone back. All the witnesses who have given
evidence with regard to Clerkenwell have concurred upon that
particular point. You yourself are the first witness who has gone
in the opposite direction by saying that the condition of Clerkenwell
has improved. Mr. Boodle, both times that he was
examined. Lord William Compton, Mr. Jennings, Mr. Brighty,
and five clergymen, I think, who spoke of Clerkenwell have all
said that the parish in their time has gone down hill?— I admit
that it has gone down hill in its social status, but not in its sanitary
status. I admit that, instead of having a good proportion
of respectable residential people in the parish, the greater number
of them have gone to live further away, and their houses are
filled up with an inferior class of people. That part of it I
admit.
17,717. With regard to the sanitary condition of the parish,
that is of course a very difficult thing to test in detail; but if you
are relying upon the improvement in the death rate in Clerkenwell
of course you would be aware that the death rate has improved
every where throughout the country?— I hope so; I am
glad to hear that some of the larger towns in the country have
almost approached London in the smallness of its death rate.
17,718. But they have improved more rapidly; that is to say,
that they were very much worse many years ago?— Yes.
17,719. (Mr. Broadhurst.) You seem to think that the class of
men of whom we have been speaking are the men who, above
others, should naturally take the lead in local government in
your parish?— I do not quite say so. I say that taking the
members of the Yestry altogether they are quite as good as, if
not better, than the generality. I mean to say that they are all
of them of the class of men who have the greatest interest in
watching over such matters, and who, therefore, are the most
eligible, if one man is more eligible than another, to take part
in the administration of local affairs. I am not prepared to say
that there are not better men who ought to come forward and
take part in parochial work; but if wo cannot get them what
are wo to do?