A very important meeting of the Social Science Association (Department
of Economy) will be held at its rooms on Monday next, at eight o'clock. It is intended to discuss a plan for creat- ing a Commission under an Adt of Parliament, specially ordered to provide dwellings for the poor in great cities. It is proposed to purchase the worst districts of the great cities under compul- sory powers, and re-cover them with tall buildings suited for the residences of the poor. The money is to be lent by Government, order an Act already in existence but dormant, and repaid by instalments. It is understood that the Ministry are willing to further this plan, and the public has long since agreed that some scheme of the sort must be carried out. Half England lives in cities, and they must be made habitable cities. One point, how- ever, is obviously forgotten in the scheme. Government of course cannot remain sole landlord of the artizan population, but a rigid eystem of sanitary inspection ought still to continue, otherwise the owners of the blocks will soon be as bad landlords as the owners of cottages.
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