§ SIR G. GREY moved "that it be an Instruction to the Committee of Selection not to fix the sitting of the Committees upon any Bill connected with the supply of water to the Metropolis, or any part thereof, till at least one week after the Easter Recess." The House was aware that, in the course of last Session, a recommendation was made by the Board of Health in favour of a totally new mode of supplying the metropolis with water. The evidence on which that recommendation was made had been put into the hands of Members, and it had since been fully considered by the Government. A Bill was now in preparation on the subject, which he hoped would receive the sanction of the House; but it was extremely desirable that no new interest should come in as a medium for supplying the metropolis with water. Without wishing, therefore, to interfere with the second reading of those 841 Bills which had been brought forward—as it might be desirable that some of them at least should be considered on their merits, he thought that the fairest course, even to the parties promoting those Bills, was that which he now proposed.
MR. VERNON SMITHsaid, a somewhat similar course was taken last year; but, as an hon. Member having charge of one of those Bills to which the right hon. Gentleman had referred for supplying the metropolis with water, he should like to hear from him what was the nature of the Bill he had to propose on the part of the Government. He would also ask whether, considering the late period at which Easter occurred this Session, it was necessary that the postponement of the Water Bills should take place till that time. It might possibly have the effect of preventing for another year any improvement in the mode of supplying the metropolis with water.
§ MR. WILSON PATTENwished to put another question to the right hon. Gentleman. Some Bills had been put into his hands relative to the supply of baths and washhouses, but not including water for domestic use. Had the attention of the right hon. Gentleman been called to these Bills, and did he mean to include them in I his Motion?
§ SIR G. GREYthought it might be inexpedient at the present moment to state the purport of the Bill which was in the hands of the Government; but, in answer to the questions which had just been put to him, he might say, that the Board of Health was of opinion that it was undesirable and inexpedient that the supply of water to the metropolis should be made the subject of competition. He would not enter more fully into the subject before he had an opportunity of laying a Bill on the table of the House. It was already in preparation, and he hoped before Easter to bring it in, when it might be desirable that he should make a short statement of its provisions. With regard to the question of the hon. Member for North Lancashire, he had to observe that the chief object of the Government was, to supply water for domestic purposes; at the same time, he was bound to state, that he had been informed the water which was at present supplied to the baths and washhouses was, in some cases, unsuited to the purposes for which it was required; the Bills, therefore, to which the hon. Member referred were included in the present Motion.
§ Instruction ordered.