The London County Council has finally determined to erect buildings
intended to hold three thousand five hundred per- sons on part of the site occupied by Millbank Prison. The proposal was strongly resisted by Sir John Lubbock and Lord Farrer, on the ground that the new buildings would either tax the ratepayers or discourage private enterprise— the latter a fear strongly entertained by Miss Octavia Hill—.- but resistance was useless. The Council wants to be visibly seen giving employment on high wages. The experiment, though ill-judged, is not of much importance, provided no precedent is Bet to which the faddists can appeal to show that London ought to be rebuilt out of rates. The waste of a few thousands does not matter by itself, and will perhaps induce the ratepayers to compel their representatives to carry out a wiser scheme,—viz., to enforce the sanitary laws against all landlords and middlemen. London cannot be rebuilt, but it can be made healthy.
Previous page
