§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ MR. COLLINSprotested against the delay which had occurred. The Bill should either be proceeded with at once or withdrawn.
MR. HARVEY LEWISalso urged that the Bill should be proceeded with, or at once referred to a Select Committee.
MR. BRUCEsaid, he was quite willing that it should be referred to a Select Committee; but he hoped there would soon be an opportunity for a short previous discussion.
§ DR. LYON PLAYFAIRhoped that the Government would take this important Bill at an hour which would render discussion possible. Several nights had been spent in the discussion of the abolition of Army purchase, because the sum of £8,000,000 was large and affected some hundred officers. Well, this Bill would cost the ratepayers of London £11,000,000, and affected the health and social habits of 3,000,000 or 4,000,000 of people—of a population, in fact, as large as that of many nations. The Government might surely find an hour earlier than midnight for such an important measure.
§ MR. CRAUFURDsaid, it was rumoured that the Bill was to be materially altered. He wished to know what the Government meant to propose?
§ MR. SHAW LEFEVREsaid, it was true that some alterations had been made; but the securing an adequate supply of water was still aimed at, and though the compulsory power of purchase was given up, the permissive power was retained.
§ Second Reading deferred till To-morrow.
§ House adjourned at a quarter before One o'clock.