§ Amendment considered.
896§ EARL CARRINGTONLord Tweed-mouth has explained the Amendment which stands on the Paper in my name so thoroughly that I will content myself on this occasion by formally moving it:—
Amendment moved, "At end of Clause 2 to add, `and provided that the total amount of such stock shall not exceed five hundred thousand pounds.'"—(Earl Carrington.)
§ LORD JAMES OF HEREFORDI promised Lord Tweedmouth that I would communicate with the President of the Local Government Board to find out whether he could see his way to agree to the insertion of these words, and I have done so. I am sorry that the right honourable Gentleman cannot agree to the Amendment. When it was introduced in the House of Commons he fought it tooth and nail, and he says he cannot now eat his words.
§ EARL CARRINGTONIf the President of the Local Government Board is unable to eat his words, I have not another word to say, except to express my regret that the noble Lord is unable to accept the Amendment. The majority of the electors of London must bow to the inevitable. All that we have been able to do is to make a gallant but somewhat unsuccessful attempt to save the money of the ratepayers in days to come.
THE EARL OF KIMBERLEYI regret that the noble Marquess at the head of the Government is not here to-night. I had cherished the hope, after hearing the speech of the Prime Minister the other evening, that this Amendment would be accepted. The argument of the noble Marquess tended in the direction of showing that the Bill would not do much harm, and that in all probability there would be no further water famine. If this is the case, then I regret that the Amendment has not been accepted, for I am not so sanguine as to expect that there may not be a considerable expenditure entailed.
§ LORD JAMES OF HEREFORDThe expenditure can only take place in cases of great emergency. There is a second protection—that until seven years have elapsed, if any purchase of the undertakings of these companies takes place, no credit can be given to the companies for any expenditure under this Bill.
§ EARL CARRINGTONThe Bill leaves a loophole for a great expenditure which the ratepayers of London wish to avoid, and which they will have to pay for in the future.
§ Amendment negatived.
§ An Amendment made: Then Standing Order No. 39 considered (according to order), and dispensed with: Bill read 3a with the Amendments, and passed, and returned to the Commons.