The Home Secretary on Monday introduced his long-promised Bill for
"improving the dwellings of the working-classes in large towns," in a very dry but earnest and sensible speech. We have described his measure, which is really one for allowing the Munici- palities in the great towns and the Metropolitan Board in London to pull down houses in diseased districts and replace them by Peabody buildings, elsewhere, but may add here that it was well received by the philanthropists in the House, that it is considered only too moderate, and that in the great towns the first objection raised is as to its probable cost. Mr. Cross expressly repudiated State grants for rehousing the people. It was not the duty of the State to find them good houses, any more than good food. All it can do is to remove obstacles, and this he has striven to do by enabling Municipal Councils in great cities, with the consent of the Home Office, to acquire and to sell a Parlia- mentary title to the condemned districts. That power will limit expenditure, but we do not see that the dread of State interference need prevent the House from sanctioning cheap loans to the municipalities engaged in the work, if such loans will make them more ready to attempt it. The local ratepayers will not be liberal till they are convinced that the clearances are not costly, and not very liberal then. In London, no doubt, the Metropolitan Board is very strong, but London does not present the worst cases in England.
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