LONDON WATER (PURCHASE) BILL. (Hansard, 1 June 1899)

§ MR. STUART (Shoreditch, Hoxton)
Before the House proceeds to discuss the Second Reading of this Bill, I wish to say that as the Royal Commission which is considering this question has not yet reported, it is almost impossible to come to a decision in regard to this Bill while that Commission is sitting. I move to discharge the Order for the Second Reading.

§ *MR. WHITMORE (Chelsea)
I have a motion on the Paper for the direct rejection of this Bill, and I confess that I should have been rather glad if it had been convenient to move that motion, and ask the House to reject this Bill on Second Reading on the grounds of general policy. I cannot however but be content with the motion of the hon. Gentleman opposite for the withdrawal of this Bill, but I wish to take formal notice of what he has said. He stated that it would be impossible for this House to come to a satisfactory decision pending the issuing of the report of the Royal Commission. Personally, I cordially agree with that view, and I only wish the hon. Member and his friends had come to that decision some time ago. If my hon. friend's argument has any force now, it had greater force last autumn, when the County Council resolved to promote their scheme of Water Bills in this Session of Parliament. The Royal Commission is now sitting, and it is notorious that the Report of the Royal Commission will not be presented to Parliament in sufficient time for legislation to take effect this year. This fact was pointed out to the hon. Gentleman opposite and his friends, but they disregarded that objection, and proceeded to introduce their gigantic scheme, a portion of which is now before us. I think 75 it would have been indeed well if the hon. Member and his friends had seen before how absurd and how futile it was to present to Parliament such a scheme while the Royal Commission was sitting to decide the essential points which were dealt with in this Bill. What has happened? Fears have been unnecessarily excited upon this subject, and a great problem which ought to have been solved as quickly as possible has been brought into the arena of politics. I do not wish now to dwell on the past, and I welcome what the hon. gentleman has said. I welcome the fact that he recognises that practically it would be impossible for this House to come to any decision upon this great question until the Royal Commission has reported. I gather from that statement that the hon. Member and his friends attach great importance to the Report of that Commission, and I hope when this question next comes before the House it will be found in the shape of a Bill not promoted by the majority of the London County Council actuated by party motives, but as an authoritative measure introduced by the Government and based upon the Report of the Royal Commission.

§ MR. BARTLEY (Islington, N.)
I desire to draw attention to the fact that the unfortunate London ratepayer has had to pay very heavily for all this. The London County Council bring these Bills forward at enormous expense, and then they find out, as the hon. Member opposite has said, that it is advisable that the measures should be withdrawn pending the report of the Commission. It must be borne in mind that the smaller ratepayers now are very heavily taxed, and this is not the first time this sort of thing has happened, and I protest against this unnecessary and extravagant expenditure.

§ MR. STUART
An imputation has been put upon my conduct by the hon. Member opposite, otherwise I had no intention of raising a debate in this House. It must not be in any way inferred by the hon. Gentleman and his friends that my withdrawal of this Bill is in any way an undertaking that the Report of the Royal Commission will be accepted by my friends or by myself. Our position is perfectly clear as to this Bill, and perfectly harmonious with itself. When the 76 Royal Commission was appointed I made the statement that I thought it was a very unfortunate thing, and that it would have the effect of a large number of concessions being granted to the companies, and that it would result in absolutely putting a stop to any purchase Bills being proceeded with while the Commission was sitting, and that has turned out to be the case. Following that line, we introduced no purchase Bills ill 1898, when so many concessions were given to the Water Companies. I entirely object to the statement of the hon. Member that at the beginning of this Session or at the end of last year it was generally known that the Commission would not report for another year. In February I moved that the question should be put forward to a certain date in order that we might give the Commission a chance of reporting earlier. It is perfectly clear that the Report will not be in the hands of Members for some time, and that it will be then too late to be dealt with in connection with this Bill. This Bill has been withdrawn in deference to the wishes of the House, and I have taken a course which I think every Member of the House must desire. Under circumstances of great difficulty I have endeavoured to keep this Bill so that it might wait until the Royal Commission has reported. That, I think, is a very proper motive. If this Commission had reported within a reasonable time, as we hoped it would have done by keeping this Bill before the House, we should have saved a whole year's delay, which is of extreme importance. This delay is not due to my action, but entirely to the action of the Government in appointing this Commission, which now stands in the way of any such Bill as this being proceeded with. It is quite clear that if proceeded with we could not arrive at a decision. I hope I have made my position clear to the hon. Gentleman and to the House.

§ MR. BOULNOIS (Marylebone, E.)
It is a great pity that my hon. friend did not take the advice given him when the County Council were considering the question of these purchase Bills, to the effect that it would be absurd for the Council to bring in a Bill until the Royal Commission had reported upon the questions which would be submitted to them. Everyone knew perfectly well that the 77 Royal Commission could not by any possibility report in time for this Session. They have not reported, and I think it is within the knowledge of almost everyone that the question which is before the Royal Commission is so enormous and deals with so many interests that it would have been practically impossible for them to present any Report to this House in time for legislation this Session. It is reasonable and quite expected that after the evidence which the Royal Commission will receive has been concluded they will take some time to consider their Report, and I shall not be at all surprised if it is two or three months before we see it. T feel rather strongly upon this subject, because, besides the cost to the ratepayers, which has already been alluded to, I think some consideration should also be shown to the Water Companies, who have been very much harassed during this Session, and have had to incur very considerable expense in the matter. I can only say that, in my opinion, this Bill was premature, and I am only surprised that the promoters of it have kept it alive so long, for they must have known that the moment they brought it before the House it would receive its quietus.