HH62/2/RENFRE/9

Transcription

[Page] 8

atmosphere, a lower mean temperature, and probably a greater daily,
monthly, and annual range of temperature, a greater and more rapid
air-movement, greater earth-radiation (as shown by the minimum
black-bulb thermometer); and generally speaking, a 'bracing,'
although somewhat rainy, climate. These characteristics would be
shared in a slightly less degree by such places as Kilmalcolm and
Bridge of Weir (Ranfurly). The second, or low level, station would
show, I believe, a less rainfall, a much greater degree of humidity (as
witness the winter fogs), a higher mean temperature and a less range,
less air-movement; or, summarily, a more equable but damper
climate. The third, or western, station would speak for a much
smaller area, but would tell of a milder, and from its sea environ-
ment, a still more equable climate.

THE CENSUS OF 1891.

IT happened, not inopportunely, that the first year of the operations
of the Sanitary Authorities constituted under the Local Government
Act, should be a censal year. Vital statistics are based largely upon
returns of populations, and unless founded upon an accurate
knowledge of the populations involved, are apt to prove
will-o'-the-wisps rather than guiding lights. The census, further,
in addition to its main object of numbering the people,
affords an opportunity of investigating various matters affecting their
social life, which throw an effective side-light upon various
sanitary conditions. Under these circumstances I was much
gratified when the County Council, by authorising a fee in each case,
afforded me an opportunity of obtaining abstracts of the census
returns for the County before they left the hands of the local
registrars. This was the more important in view of the partition of
the County likely to arise under the operation of the Glasgow Exten-
sion Bill, and having in regard the probable course of action of the
Boundaries Commission. I addressed myself, therefore, to secure
returns not only of the population of the County as it stood at the
date of the census, but also as it might come to be altered in the
course of the year. I am thus in a position to state with precision
the figures for the different districts of the County, landward, with
which, as the Sanitary Authorities, the County Council and the Dis-
trict Committees are chiefly concerned.
Considering that it might be convenient to have on record here an
abstract of the populations of the burghs within the County, as

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ascertained at the censuses of 1881 and 1891, I have prepared the
subjoined tables:-

Burghal Populations in 1881 and 1891.

[Table inserted]

It will be observed that the highest rate of increase has been in the
Glasgow Suburban Burghs, of which Crosshill, Pollokshields-East,
and Pollokshields-west, have been absorbed by Glasgow since the
date of the census. The following table, showing the populations
and rates of increase in the various villages * and landward districts
now comprised within the jurisdiction of the First and Second Dis-
trict Committees, are of greater practical interest to us:-

* Having over 300 inhabitants: hamlets with under 300 of a population are in
this and all other tables included in the "landward" sections.