§ MR. FERRANDsaid, he rose to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether Messrs. Rawlinson and Beardmore, the Government Engineers, did not report to him that the bursting of the Sheffield Reservoir was caused by the fracture of the outlet pipes under the embankment; whether these outlet pipes have not been examined since their Report and found uninjured and undisturbed; and, if so, whether it is not necessary for the safety of the public that a Commission should be immediately appointed to inquire into the making of Reservoir Embankments?
§ SIR GEORGE GREYSir, as the Report of Messrs. Rawlinson and Beard-more has been presented to the House, and has been printed and circulated, any hon. Member can refer to it for himself. But I do not find in it the statement ascribed to them in the question of the hon. Gentleman. They did not pretend to state precisely what was the cause of the accident. But they did say that, in their opinion, what they considered the objectionable mode of laying the outlet pipes most probably fractured not the pipes, but the puddle wall at the point of crossing. I do not know whether the pipes have been since examined, but if they have, and have been found uninjured, that would not be inconsistent with Messrs. Rawlinson and Beardmore's Report. I have already said that the possibility of laying down some general rule in future Waterworks Acts will be considered.
§ MR. FERRANDsaid, he wished to know whether the Government intend appointing a Commission?
§ SIR GEORGE GREYI do not think that there will be any necessity for a formal Commission. Two or three engineers of experience might be consulted on the matter; but the Question is still under consideration.
§ MR. FERRANDsaid, he would also ask whether the right hon. Gentleman is aware that the lives of thousands of people are now endangered by the state of these Reservoirs, and that great anxiety naturally prevails to know whether anything will be done before Parliament separates?
§ SIR GEORGE GREYSuch a Commission as is suggested by the hon. Member for Bradford, and to which I suppose 2103 the hon. Gentleman refers, would not affect any works now existing, but only those to be constructed in future. If there really is the danger which is alleged, the hon. Gentleman, or those whom he represents, had better adopt the remedy which I pointed out the other night, and which will be found quite effectual.