LONDON STILL GROWS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 744, 17 August 1929, Page 30

LONDON STILL GROWS

ALMOST AS POPULOJJS AS SCOTLAND LATEST COMPARISONS How many people realise that the Administrative County of London, the area under the jurisdiction of the London County Council, has a population little sort of that of Scotland, and that Greater London, the joint area under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan and City of London police forces, has a population almost identical with that of the Kingdom of Belgium? These comparisons are possible through the publication by the London County Council of a statistical abstract for London covering the period 1918-27, with figures, in some cases, for 1925. In 1921 the Administrative County of Loudon had a population of 4,484,523, while that of Scotland was 4,852,497. In 1928 the respective populations were estimated at 4,502,000 and 4,893,000. While comparisons of Poor Law relief must be made with care, owing to the difference between the two systems, it is shown that the total number of persons in receipt of relief in London on January 1, 1925, was 239,344, and in Scotland, on January 15. 240.550. In 1927 there were in London 651,443 children in elementary schools, 13,652 in special schools, and 30,679 in L.C.C. controlled or aided secondary schools. In Scotland there were at the same time 664,958 children in primary schools, 9,522 at special schools, and 151,277 at secondary schools. During the same year London had 5,766 liquor on-licences, 2,135 offlicences, 995 registered clubs, 348 wine and spirit dealers, and 61 licensed theatres. The comparable Scottish figures were 1,417 inns and hotels licensed, 4,519 public houses, 2,762 licensed grocers, and 621 registered clubs. Criminal statistics for 1926 show that there were iu London 1,726 persons for trial on criminal charges at assizes and quarter sessions, 6,513 for trial on indictable offences, and 110,683 for uon-indictable offences at courts of summary jurisdiction. In Scotland, for the same year, there were 1,197 persons for trial at superior courts, 25.14 S for indictable offences, and 92,777 for non-indictahle offeDces at courts of summary jurisdiction. COMPARISONS WITH BELGIUM As already stated, the populations of Greater Loudon and Belgium are almost identical. At the last census (1921 for London, 1920 for Belgium) the respective populations were 7,480,201 and 7,465,782. The estimated populations in 1926 were respectively 7,805,870 and 7.574.601. Although London had a greater natural increase of population, Belgium's population passed it, and the is made that Belgium is experiencing a greater net immigration, while it is also probable that the development of London residential districts outside the Greater London area has had an effect. Detailed statistics of population show that in ISOI the papulation of the Administrative County was 959,310, iu 1921 4,454,523, and in 1928 (estimated) 4,502,000. The highest total estimate was that for 1926 4,615,400, and therefore, on that basis, there must have been a decrease. The falls in population took place in the more central districts, such as Westminster, Kensington, and St. Marylebone, more distant districts, such as Camberwell, Lewisham and Wandsworth showing increases. Interesting figures are also given showing the incidence of deaths from various causes. Noteworthy among these are deaths from cancer, which have risen steadily in number from 5,247 in 1918 to 6,774 in 1927. Deaths from tuberculosis in the same period have dropped from 7.04 S to 4,066. There has also been a decrease in the deaths from influenza, practically every year with a few exceptions showing a decline compared with its predecessor. In 1918 (the epidemic year) deaths were 13,085, in 1919, 4,259, and in 1928 569. A great appreciation in the rateable value of London Is shown. In 1924 the Administrative County had a rateable value of £49.813.764. In 1929 it had risen to £57,487,536.