HH62/2/RENFRE/5

Transcription

[Page] 4

I received, and in consequence of the very harmonious relations which
exist between the county officials of Renfrewshire. I am personally
indebted, in particular, to Mr. Caldwell, the County Clerk, and to
Dr. Hill and Mr. Macdougall, the District Clerks, for much wise
counsel, and their patient indulgence of my thirst for information. The
Chief Constable has shown himself most kind and willing to assist in
anything which seemed to be for the advantage of the county, whether
it lay within the four corners of his duties or not. As respects the
staff under my control, I can only say that no county in Scotland has
a more loyal or zealous body of servants, nor one more desirous of
doing their duty faithfully, intelligently, and 'not as eye-servants.'
In view of the criticism to which the constitution of the Health
Department was, at the outset, exposed, I am pleased to say that the
relations existing between the members of the sanitary staff could not
possibly have been more harmonious than they have been.
I am, Gentlemen,
Your obedient Servant,
A. CAMPBELL MUNRO.

COUNTY BUILDINGS, PAISLEY,
March, 1892.

PART I.

THE COUNTY GENERALLY.

The County of Renfrew is inconsiderable in size, measuring in its
extreme length only 31 1/2 miles, in its widest extent only 13 miles:
its area comprising, according to the Ordnance Survey, only 156,785
acres.* Although thus limited in extent, the County has always, in
the present century, at least, held a position of importance amongst
the counties of Scotland, having been, prior to its curtailment, fifth
in respect of population and rateable value. Its population at the
census of 1891, including the Burghs, was 290,798; and in respect of
density of population it stood second amongst the counties of Scot-
land, having 1186 persons to the square mile; the County of Edin-
burgh being first with 1226 persons to the square mile. The popu-
lousness of the County is due in part to the considerable towns it
includes within its borders; in great part to the position it occupies

* Of this area, 133 acres were within the limits of the City of Glasgow prior
to the passing of the Glasgow Extension Act, 1866 acres were added to the city
by that Act; this area, with the Burgh of Kinning Park (109 acres), has been
transferred to the County of Lanark by the Boundaries Commission; by a pre-
vious Order of the Boundaries Commission, which came into operation in May,
1891, the detached portions of the Parishes of Beith and Dunlop, comprising
1645 acres, were transferred to Ayrshire. The area of the County has thus
been reduced by 3753 acres. Of the remaining 153,032, 7761 are embraced
within burghal boundaries, as follows:- Paisley, 3,538 acres; Renfrew, 1,614;
Greenock, 1440; Port Glasgow, 473; Johnstone (approximately), 300; Gourock,
246; Pollokshaws, 150. I have been careful to note these figures here, as they
are not otherwise to be obtained, in a complete form, without considerable diffi-
culty. The area of the County landward, that is, under the direct control of
the District Committees for sanitary purposes, is now 145,271 acres, of which
63,396 are within the jurisdiction of the First or Upper District Committee,
and 83,983 in the Second or Lower District. It may be noted in passing that
there are 348 persons per square mile in the First or Upper District landward,
as compared with 148 in the Second or Lower District.