THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1880. THE ARMAGH STREET DEPOT.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2121, 10 December 1880, Page 2

THE GLOBE. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1880. THE ARMAGH STREET DEPOT.

At a recent meeting of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, Mr March called attention to a recommendation made some time before by him to the Govern ment with reference to the Armagh street depot. The buildings comprising that institution are, as our readers probably know, situated on a very central and valuable section of land, one which, if put into the market for residential purposes, would fetch a largo sum. Mr. March's recommendation to the Government was that this site should be sold, and that with the amount of money thus accruing the institution should be located elsewhere and a proper building erected. If our idea of the value of the building site be correct, there would be sufficient money to carry out the proposal without trenching in any way on the public funds. Of the desirableness, for more reasons than one, of the change there can belittle doubt. In the first place, it is impossible to shut our eyes to the faet that an institution of some sort, providing shelter for deserted wives and children, or those whose husbands and fathers belong to the criminal class and are in prison, will always have to be kept up. The buildings in Armagh street are utterly and entirely insufficient for their purpose, though those in charge do their utmost to overcome the many difficulties they have to contend with. By adopting the course suggested by Mr. March, the Government would be able to erect a properly arranged building, whereas the present one has been converted to uses never contemplated for it. Again, the site is far too valuable a one to be occupied by a tumbledown lot of buildings such as are now on it. The third and last reason is the risk caused by such an institution in the centre of a thickly populated neighbourhood. This should weigh very greatly with the Government in deciding this question, the more eo as by the plan proposed a change can be effected without cost. We hope to see the matter considered, now that it has been again brought uuder the notice of the Government, and it perhaps may bo as well if the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board were to consider if they could not bring their influence to bear towards carrying out so desirable an object.