METROPOLITAN WATER COMPANIES. (Hansard, 20 February 1899)

§ THE PRESIDENT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. HENRY CHAPLIN,) Lines., Sleaford

The Bill which I ask leave of the House to introduce is one to enable and require the metropolitan water companies to supply each other with water in cases of emer- 1465 gency. The object of this Bill is to prevent any recurrence of the curtailment of the water supply of the metropolis, which inflicted so much inconvenience, in some cases almost amounting to suffering, on many of the poor inhabitants of London during the drought and excessive heat which prevailed last summer. London was supplied by eight different water companies, and during the drought of last summer we were confronted with this curious and most unfortunate anomaly, that while the district supplied by the East London Water Company was deprived of its constant supply—and a great number of the inhabitants, especially the poorer class, not being provided with cisterns, were in consequence suffering intolerable inconvenience, and in some cases severe hardship and annoyance—in other districts of London there was water enough and to spare; in fact, there is no doubt that if there had been adequate means of distribution, and if there had been communication between the mains and the works of the different companies, so as to enable the surplus water of one company to supply the deficiencies of the other, there would have been no difficulty, no trouble, and no curtailment of the supply of water in the East London district at all. That statement honourable Members will find borne out by the report of the Royal Commission, and that, in spite of a deficient rainfall in the valley of the Thames and of the Lea, which are the present sources of supply, and the consequent drought, which is absolutely without precedent for the past 86 years. Well, Sir, if this can be avoided in the future, the obvious way to prevent a recurrence of this state of things is by providing for inter-communication between these different water companies, and this it is proposed to accomplish as follows: In the first place, the Bill requires the different companies, upon the direction of the Local Government Board, to submit plans and construct such works as, in the opinion of the Board, may be necessary for the purpose; and, secondly, in the case of an emergency, such as that which arose in the East of London last year, then the different companies are to supply it at a reasonable cost, and to such extent and during such period as the Board may direct, such water as may be required for the 1466 need of another Metropolitan Water Company, and may be available, after satisfying the requirements of their own districts. The Bill further provides that the cost of construction is to be borne by the several companies, according to their respective water rentals, and the terms upon which the water is to be supplied are to be settled, in default of agreement, by arbitration. There are certain statutory impediments which at present exist to the construction of works and the supplying of water by any company beyond the confines of their own district which are removed by the Bill. Powers are given to the Local Government Board to make orders, for the purposes of the Bill, for fixing the times within which schemes are to be submitted and works are to be constructed, and other matters of that kind. The recommendation of the Royal Commission as to borrowing powers, and likewise as to the provisions in case of purchase of the undertakings of the companies at any time within seven years after the passing of the Bill, are embodied in the Measure proposed. That is all that I think is necessary for me to say with regard to this Measure upon the present occasion. There are other Bills, of which notice has been given, for a similar object before Parliament at the present time. But those are Bills over which Her Majesty's Government have no control whatever, and, in view of the calamity which occurred last year, and of the recommendations made in the report of the Commission appointed by the Government themselves, in view of the fact that the Royal Commission were asked by the Government specially to report on this branch of the subject committed to them as speedily as possible, the Government thought it necessary to give immediate effect to these recommendations of the Commission, or to such of these recommendations as appeared to them to be good, by introducing a Bill of their own. For these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I have the greatest possible pleasure in submitting, at the earliest possible moment, the Bill which I have just explained.

§ MR. SYDNEY C. BUXTON (Tower Hamlets, Poplar)

I do not intend to oppose this Bill now, but we shall have something to say on the Second Reading, when we shall be able to see 1467 whether it is a Bill which the House ought to assent to or not. We have had repeated pledges that the Government were going to deal with the London water question, but this appears to be a Bill of the most futile and microscopic character which any Government pledged to deal with the London water question ought to be ashamed to introduce even as a temporary Measure. We did expect the Government, after what they had said themselves, to deal with this matter on broad and general lines, and in examining this Bill, I shall have to see whether it is likely to affect the question of future authority, or to increase the purchase-price of the water company. We shall oppose, I need hardly say, no small Measure which may be just and necessary to make the connection of any mains between the East London Water Company and other companies, with a view to preventing the water famine; but we shall have to oppose this Bill, or amend it, if it is likely to prejudice the position of the London ratepayer or the London consumer. The Bill of last Session has not produced any more water nor given any redress to the unfortunate ratepayer and the consumer, and it has been, as far as we can judge, an entire failure. We have had a serious famine since that Bill was introduced, and we have not obtained any redress. No attempt has been made under that Act to obtain redress, because every local body and every individual knew that it would be a perfectly futile attempt, and would be merely throwing good money after bad, and that the Bill was a pure farce. I am afraid this Bill is likely, as far as the East London Water Company is concerned, to be the same as the Bill of the right honourable Gentleman of last Session. We had hoped that during this Session we should have had an ample opportunity of dealing with this great principle and of discussing the best method of carrying it out. The right honourable Gentleman will not prevent the proper discussion of these matters by the appointment of the Royal Commission which, two years ago, he said he believed and hoped would report immediately, and which seems still likely to continue to sit fop some indefinite time. The only conclusion they have come to is a conclusion which required no Royal Commission to arrive at, namely, that the mains of the different companies 1468 should be properly connected. We shall have to raise the question of authority, of purchase, of future supply, and of communication, and I will only say that so far as this particular Bill is concerned, if it is a small Measure, we shall not oppose it; but if it is a Measure which prejudices the question, I, for one, shall take the responsibility of trying to get it rejected by the House.