Lords Report of 11 August 1871

MINUTES.
PUBLIC BILLS—Second Reading—Customs and Inland Revenue* (324); Vaccination Act (1867) Amendment* (322); Military Manœuvres (321); Glebe Loan (Ireland) Act (1870) Amendment* (325); Chain Cables and Anchors* (326).
Select Committee — Report—Metropolis Water* (311).
Committee—Report—Civil Bill Courts (Ireland)* (319); Expiring Laws Continuance * (320).
Third Reading— Epping Forest (309); Elementary Education Act (1870) Amendment* (315); Local Government (Ireland)* (316); Turnpike Acts Continuance, &c.* (317); Merchant Shipping Acts Amendment* (310), and passed.
Royal Assent—Army Regulation [34 & 35 Vict. c. 86]; Sunday Observance Prosecutions [34 & 35 Vict. c. 87]; Intoxicating Liquors Licenses Suspension [34 & 35 Vict. c. 88].

EPPING FOREST BILL—(No. 309.)
(The Duke of Saint Albans.)
EPPING FOREST BILL—(No. 309.)

  THIRD READING.
  Order of the Day for the Third Reading, read.
  THE EARL OF ROSSLYNasked, whether the appointment of Commissioners under this Bill would affect the proceedings of the Court of Verderers?
  THE LORD CHANCELLORsaid, that application was made to him some months since by a certain number of freeholders in the county of Essex, in the usual form, for a writ for the election of persons to fill up vacancies in the Court of Verderers. The writ was issued as a matter of right. It was not in the power of the Government to take any proceedings to stop the action of the Court, nor was it possible for them to introduce a clause to that effect into this Bill, because the rights to be affected by the existence or non-existence of the Court of Verderers were in the nature of private rights which could not be properly interfered with except by Bills of which notices usual in such cases had been given. Inasmuch, however, as the Commissioners under this Bill would have powers largely exceeding those vested in the Court of Verderers, he trusted that those who were interested in the Forest would see that it was reasonable that there should not be two authorities taking proceedings upon the same subject during the same period of time. It would probably, therefore, be thought reasonable that whilst the inquiry was going on by the Commissioners the action of the Verderers should be suspended.
  Bill read 3a, with the Amendments, and passed, and sent to the Commons.

MILITARY MANŒUVRES BILL—(No. 321.)
(The Lord Northbrook.)
MILITARY MANŒUVRES BILL—(No. 321.)

  SECOND READING.
  Order of the Day for the Second Reading, read.
  LORD NORTHBROOK, in moving that the Bill be now read the second time, said, that it had three objects. The first was to enable troops to pass over lands in certain portions of the country, to be determined by a consultative commission composed of the Lords Lieutenant and Members of Parliament for those divisions of the counties of Hants, Berks, and Surrey which were affected. The second was to protect the owners and occupiers of land from unnecessary injury, and to give compensation to those who might sustain unavoidable injury. The troops were debarred from entering dwelling-houses, farm-yards, orchards, gardens, parks, &c. All claims to compensation would be considered by a

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  "compensation officer," and, if possible, settled as they arose; while in case of dispute the amount would be determined by arbitration. The third object was to prevent injury from the possible, and, indeed, probable assemblage of large numbers of persons to witness the manœuvres. The law of trespass was consequently much strengthened; summary power was given to the police to remove trespassers, and the Secretary of State was empowered to appoint one or more magistrates, with summary jurisdiction within the area; as also to appoint special constables for the purpose of carrying the Act into effect. The provisions as to lands would last till the 1st of October, and those as to compensation till the 1st of June next.
  Motion agreed to; Bill read 2a accordingly, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House To-morrow; and Standing Orders Nos. 37. and 38. to be considered in order to their being dispensed with.

WATER SUPPLY (METROPOLIS)—THE TRUCK SYSTEM.

  QUESTIONS. OBSERVATIONS.
  THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURYhoped to receive from the Government a satisfactory reply to two Questions which he was about to put. The first related to the water supply of the Metropolis. In respect to this question the reasons were very urgent why Government should come forward to devise some means of rescue from the irresponsible power under which the Metropolis was supplied at present. Everyone—at least, everyone who had ever sat in Parliament—must be aware of the great power of the metropolitan water companies, and of the necessity of relieving the inhabitants from the inconveniences which resulted from it. It would be remembered that a few years ago, when Lord Derby's Administration came into power, a Commission was appointed to inquire into the sources of supply and administration of the companies, and they made an admirable and exhaustive Report; but no action had yet been taken upon it. And it was the more necessary that something should be done, because not only was there need for a much larger supply of water, but there were sources of corruption and mischief in the supply
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  which we had, and therefore it had become necessary to take great care, lest the evil should extend over the whole population. He believed he might safely say that there was scarcely a pint of water in London which was not distinctly unhealthy, and that a great deal was positively unsafe. The water supplied by the companies was by no means so vigilantly watched as it ought to be, and as to the wells, there was scarcely a single well in all London from which might be drawn with safety water conducive to health. It had been discovered by recent operations that the favourite pumps—the pump in Old Broad Street and that in the Temple, which he was told had been resorted to by everybody for the clearness, coolness, and excellence of the water—were now shut up, the wells having been found to contain deleterious matter. All sanitary authorities held that more mischief to the human constitution accrued from bad water than from bad food, clothing, or lodging. It was necessary, therefore, as the population increased, to direct attention to this important ingredient of health and happiness. There was scarcely a great town in the kingdom which was not better provided with water than London. Glasgow, Greenock, Manchester, and Sheffield were all provided with ample reservoirs, containing abundance of water of the highest quality, there being no stint in its use by the people, and no possibility, so pure were the sources, of any deleterious particles getting into it. He hoped to hear, therefore, that it was the intention of the Government to enter upon the question at the earliest period, and not to leave us for another year in a state of panic at the approach of cholera, and at the water supply of 4,000,000 of people being most questionable in many cases and deadly in others. He also hoped to hear that they would deal with the truck system, which affected, he believed, nearly 500,000 persons. When sitting in the House of Commons he was Chairman of a Committee which went deeply into the subject, and saw what an abomination the system was, financially, physically, and morally. He believed a Bill could not be brought in which would give greater contentment than one regulating this system, and making it imperative that wages should be paid in the coin of the Realm. From all he had seen and read of the system,

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  he was convinced that nothing tended more to make property and capital odious than this did. The noble Earl then asked Her Majesty's Ministers, Whether it is their intention next Session to bring in measures for the Water Supply and for the abolition and regulation of the Truck System?
  VISCOUNT HALIFAX, in reply, agreed with his noble Friend as to the importance of a supply of pure water to the Metropolis. A Bill on the subject was introduced this Session into the House of Commons and referred to a Select Committee, which reported a Bill at present before your Lordships. It was not in all respects a satisfactory one, and would not in all points effect the important objects referred to by the noble Earl; but he hoped it would pass this Session, as it would at least insure a continuous supply of water. It would certainly be very desirable in the course of next Session to introduce a Bill, giving far greater powers for insuring a constant and abundant supply of pure water to the Metropolis. As to the truck system, the noble Earl was aware that it was already quite illegal. A Commission had recommended much more stringent provisions, and a Bill had been prepared at the Home Office to give effect to their considerations; but, as had been the case with many other measures, the time occupied by the House of Commons in discussion had prevented its being proceeded with. It was intended, however, to introduce it into Parliament early next Session.
  THE EARL OF SHAFTESBURYremarked that the Metropolis Water Bill was better than nothing, and that was all.
  LORD TRUROsaid, that the quality of the water was of even greater importance than the quantity.
  VISCOUNT HALIFAXsaid, the Bill now pending applied both to the constant supply and to the purity of the water.
  House adjourned at a quarter before Six o'clock, 'till To-morrow, a quarter before Five o'clock.