§ MR. CHARLES S. BUTLERsaid, there were many conflicting statements as to the expenditure that the Main Drainage scheme would involve. It had been vari- 334 ously stated at from £1,200,000, to £5,400,000, and then it was said that if this large outlay were incurred it would not, after all, accomplish that purification of the Thames which was desired. Under these circumstances he wished to ask the First Commissioner of Works whether having regard to the various Reports of the Referees and Commissioners upon the subject of the Main Drainage of the Metropolis and the Purification of the Thames, it is his intention, before acceding to any scheme for carrying out the 135th Section of the Act for the better Local Management of the Metropolis, to cause any further investigation to be made by a reference to the Committee recently appointed, or otherwise; and whether it is in contemplation to amend or modify such Act, with a view to the adoption of any scheme that may not be in accordance therewith?
§ LORD JOHN MANNERSsaid, that no power was given at the present moment to proceed with the scheme recommended by the Metropolitan Board of Works, and should that Board contemplate carrying it out, he certainly, having regard to the fact that a Committee of the House of Commons had been appointed on the subject, should oppose sanctioning any proposition for that purpose until that Committee had made its Report. He was not aware that the Metropolitan Board of Works had expressed any desire for fresh legislative powers for the purpose suggested by the hon. Member; but should they make any application upon the subject, he would then consider whether such powers were necessary or not.