COMMITTEE. (Hansard, 1 May 1885)

THE EARL OF CAMPERDOWN

said, the Bill had been very fully considered by the Select Committee to which it had been referred, and he had to thank the noble and learned Lord (Lord Bramwell) and the other Members of the Committee for their assistance during the seven days that the Committee sat. He might shortly sketch the effect of the Bill. In future, every Water Company would be obliged to furnish to its consumers a claim or demand note, before the delivery of which it would not be able to enforce its demands. Within 21 days after this note had been delivered it would be in the power of every consumer to object to the whole or any part of the details, and he would be bound to specify what his objections were, and to state the sum he thought he ought to be charged. The amount admitted by the consumer was deemed to be the minimum, and this the consumer was liable to pay forthwith. If he failed, the Company would be entitled to serve a 14 days' notice, after which the supply might be stopped. In regard to the disputed portion of the claim the Company would have to take the case for decision by a Court of Summary Jurisdiction. These provisions would apply to the ordinary supply of water, and not to water supplied under some agreement. 1283 A new clause had been placed in the Bill which was of great importance, and which provided that where the owner, and not the occupier, was liable by law or by agreement to the Water Company for the payment of the water rate, it should not be competent to the Company to cut off the supply on any ground whatever. On the other hand, the rate would be made a charge upon the premises, or, as an alternative, the Company might receive it from the occupier, who would be entitled to deduct it from his rent. This would provide against what was a very serious inconvenience now suffered by many poor tenants whose landlord undertook to pay the water rate, but who failed to do so. At present the unfortunate tenants suffered in such cases, and were deprived of the first necessary of life because their landlord and the Company fell out with one another. This would no longer be the case. He believed the views of the Water Companies with regard to the Bill had been very much modified during its passage through Committee, and that they were now convinced the measure was not so unjust or revolutionary as they had supposed.