The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-04
CENSUS REFLECTS
IRISH PROSPERITY
Housing Conditions Improve
in Last 10 Years
ARE FEWER PAUPERS
Increase of Insanity Only Dark Spot
and That May Be Largely Due to
Better observation-disclosures
in Emigration
ARE FEWER PAUPERS
T;s l.. Y. CULLEN

Dublin. May 3.-(Special )-lreland's s
growing prosperity is reflected in the re-
vised figures for the census of 1911 which
have been issued this week and is en-
phasized by the return of emigration in
1872. also issued this week by the regis
trar general.
Tile total population of Ireland on the
date the census was taken was 1880. 219,
which is decrease of only 6S,556 or IS
per cent since the census of 1901. This is
the smallest decrease on record during,
the last so years. The census of 1851
showed loss in the population of 1,622 ,Sl9
or 1913 per cent and the census of 1901
showed d loss of 245,915 or % per cent
In the opening year of the decade 1901-10
the emigration amounted to 39613. while
in 1911 it had decreased to S0,92S, and in
1912 10 29,799
Religious Census
or the total population in 1911 739 per
cent were Roman Catholics, 1871 per cent
Anglicans, 10 per cent Presbyterians, Ia
per cent Methodists, and all other denom-
nations IA per cent. No explanation is
given of the religion of the missing 16
per cent, but it is fair to assume that
they were persons who laid claim to no
particular form of belief.
The tables dealing with the economic
conditions are full of hope for Ireland.
Although there was a decrease in the
population of over 6S,000 people in the de-
cade there was an increase of s717 in the
number of inhabited houses and all of
this was in houses of a superior class.
In fact there was a positive decrease in
the number of inferior houses. This is
due no doubt to the extensive building
of the new laborers cottages, which fall
in the second or modern class, in which
there is reported an increase of 81, ,791 1t
is evident from these figures that there
has been an immense improvement in
Irish housing conditions which must soon
be reflected In the improving health of
the people,
Coming to the occupations of the peo-
pie of Ireland we find that 1,S17290 per-
sons are returned as having definite pro-
ductive occupations, while the non-pro-
ductive class comprises 2,572,92S, or $3.50
per cent of the population. The number
of non-producers seems at first sight to
be very large, but it must be remembered
that it includes all the children, many
women, and the vast class of govern
ment employees. police, etc.
Fewer Papers Now
set of figures which clearly shows
the improved economic conditions is that
relating to pauperism. In 1901 the num-
ber of persons receiving relief under the
poor law was 101 ,297, while in 1911 it was
only II, 1874, and since 1911 it is stated there
has been a further marked decrease. No
doubt much of this decrease is due to the
operation of the old age pensions act.
which has removed from the warehouses
thousands of people over 20 years of age.
In this connection it is worthy of note
that the number of people over 20 in 1911
is returned at 295,027 compared with 1877,
| 5l5 in 1901. This increase may be due to
the fact that III 1901 many of two old
people did not know their ages and un-
derstated them. while since the operation
| of the old age pensions act they have
made inquiries with a view to coming
under its benefits.
One of the most depressing sections OF
| the report is that relating to insanity
which would seem to be steadily increas-
| ing in Ireland. In 1911 the number of
persons returned as lunatcs and idiots
| was 2S,437 ocmapred with 2505O in 1901
| Lunatics and idiots now represent one in
| every 154 of the population as against
ratio of one in 657 in 1851. OF course
these figures are deceptive for every one
| knows that even 20 years ago hundreds oil