§ Order for Second Reading read.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."—(Mr. Ritchie.)
§ MR. BRYCEsaid, he did not intend to oppose the second reading, though he disapproved of the Bill in its present form. When the Bill was introduced in the House of Lords it was a very good little Bill in two clauses. The Water Companies got hold of it and knocked it about; indeed, they had piled up 12 additional clauses, and at the same time had whittled down towards a vanishing point most of what was valuable in the measure. The Bill was now conceived more in the interests of the London Water Companies than in those of the public; it seemed to promise much, but it performed little, and would be of little service to the poor. In Committee he should endeavour to bring the Bill back nearer to its original character, by moving a series of Amendments.
§ SIR CHARLES W. DILKEdid not think the Bill was as bad as the hon. and learned Gentleman (Mr. Bryce) imagined. He (Sir Charles W. Dilke) had objections to one or two points; but he did not go so far as his hon. and learned Friend.
§ MR. RITCHIEsaid, that so far as he had examined the Bill it would be of great value, especially to the poor, for one of the provisions of the Bill was that the Water Companies could, under no circumstances, cut off the water in cases where the owner of the property was liable to pay the water rates.
§ Question put, and agreed to.
§ Bill read a second time, and committed for Monday next.