SIR UGHTRED KAY-SHUTTLE-WORTHasked the President of the Local Government Board, Whether his attention has been called to recent complaints of South London newspapers on the subject of the insufficient supply given by the Southwark and Vauxhall 1238 Water Company in Peckham, Bermondsey, and other parts of its district, and to the accounts of an extensive and destructive fire in Peckham on June 22nd when, owing to the short supply of water, the Fire Brigade could not get two steam fire-engines, which arrived shortly after the fire broke out, to work for some time; whether he has caused any remonstrance on the subject to be addressed to the Water Company; whether the Metropolitan Board of Works has taken any action; and, whether, considering the numerous and long continued complaints from this densely populated district and the repeated cases of insufficiency of supply, the Local Government Board are prepared to encourage an application to them (under section 11 of "The Metropolis Water Act, 1871"), to require the Company to provide a constant supply?
§ MR. SCLATER-BOOTH, in reply, said, his attention had been called generally to the complaints in respect of the water supply in these populous districts of London; but he had only received within the past few months two formal complaints with which it was possible to deal. An inquiry had been made as to the cause of the complaints, and the reasons given were that the short supply of water was due to defective fittings and inadequate accommodation in the houses. As to the fire, there was a delay of half-an-hour owing to the deficient supply of water, and in answer to the complaint the Company stated that the turncock, who lived near where the fire was, was not called upon to give assistance, nor was any complaint made to the offices of the Company, although they were not 600 yards off. The hon. Member asked whether there could be a constant supply, but this was a matter by no means easy to accomplish. He was, however, perfectly ready to deal with applications if made to him.