§ MR. STRAUS (Tower Hamlets, Mile End)I beg to ask the President of the Local Government Board whether, with the view of improving the London water supplies, he will consider the advisability of compelling, by legislation or otherwise, the use of the process now in existence, which is capable of dealing satisfactorily with contaminated water by completely 719 destroying all pathogenic bacteria remaining in the supply after sand filtration.
§ MR. JOHN BURNSI am not sure what is the particular process to which my hon. friend refers. The Metropolitan Water Board have before them the question of the research work to be undertaken with a view to determining whether the present system of purification of the London water cannot be still further improved, and every practicable means of obtaining the best results will, no doubt, be thoroughly investigated. The matter does not appear to me to be one for compulsory action by legislation, or otherwise, at the present time.