The Decadence of Dublin.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 114, 18 April 1885, Page 4

The Decadence of Dublin.

With the exception of a few j leading thoroughfares and squares, j decay and dilapidation are making j marked progress, says the Builder, not only m the very heart of Dublin, but m once fashionable districts north and south of the Lift'ey, on the borders of the old municipal boundary Trade has completely deserted many of the streets where it flourished a quarter of a century ago ; wealthy merchants and prosperous traders have disappeared m scores from their old haunts, and extensive premises have undergone strange transformations, to suit the exigencies of a smaller class of traders who, m many instances, are engaged m a life and death struggle throughout the year to keep their heads above the water. The seat of the Vice-regal Government even is getting hemmed m by decayed streets of houses which threaten at no distant date- to form a corpon round Dublin Castle, if no industrial revival takes place m the meantime to check the downward ruin that appears to be steadily making headway. The only redeeming feature to the dismal pictnre is m the growth of the townships and suburbs north and south of the city — but particularly on the south side — to which places many hundreds of the well-to-do families who formerly resided m private streets m the city have removed. Many of -the city traders and shopkeepers who have lost their best customers still struggle on, while many more have followed m the wake of those who patronized them, and commenced business m the fashionable suburbs. The taxation m the city is very high, and the Corporation, partly conscious at least of the tide of decay that is setting m, or has already set m, have been contemplating for some time past the obtaining of powers to absorb some of the more immediate townships m a new city boundary ; and of rendering thewelttp-do inhabitants of these localities amenable to city taxation.