The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-04-15 00:00:00

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HOUSE O 1• COMMONS, TuzinAv, Arm 14,.

Mr. Johnson, from the office of the Chief Secretary fur Ire-
land, presented as Account of the Whitlow and Howse Tax
fur the year ending the Sth instant,--laid on the table.
Mr. Hyam, from the office of the CAmimissioncra fur the
Reduction of thie National Debt, presented an Account of
the Stock purchased by the said Cumusissiourra duriug the
kat quarter.— Laid on the tittle.
Mr. Witt.TFAt Bottatt.t. presented a Petition from certain
Growers of South Poem Woul, pr•yiag for an Alteration in
the laws prohibiting the expuriat jun.—Ordered to be printed.
Mr. S. LFFV.VRIZ presented a !Jodi tttt from A number of
Innkeepers of Reading, prayint fur relief from the existing
mode of billeting soldiers on the table.
t

Hr. Rums", presented a PtMimi from the Parieh of St.
Ishii, Kilkenny, praying fur the repeal of the Hearth Tax
and fur a reduction of the As.eued Taxes.—Laid on the
table.

WATER COMPANIES.

Mr. M. A. TiorLoß rose, for the purpose of pre-
senting a Petition trout the vestrymen of the parish
of St. Mary-le-bone, praying that they might he
allowed to introduce a Petition for a Water-work
Bill. lie should move that this Petit be re-
ferred to a Comm tire. But, before be did so. he
found it necessary to make a few observations. 'Flue
proper supply of water was of very great import-
atter to the metropolis—and, in order that is suffi-
cient quantity of that necessary article aliotild be
obtained, the New River Company was incorporated.
Since that period several other Companies were in-
stituted. Lately there appeared a design amongst
tit-in to over-rote each other ; and one Company, by
underselling another, had endeavoured to iiistire
public ftvour. Thus, if oae Company offered to
supply water at 10s. per annum, another iiiimedi•
utely proposed to fusee the water, by a superior
power, even to the upper parts of house', for ss.
The consequence was, that the Companies became
so distressed in their linanceli, that they were almost
under the neoessoy of salmi:nog their works. Had
they been absolutely compelled to stop them. this
great metropolis would have been dept iced of wa-
ter, which was so necessary for the preservation of
health, for culinary pu poses, awl to preveiit the ra-
vages of tire. hi this situation of thilios, the %Vater
Comp:rine* fouarl themselves under thes necessity of
carving out the metropolis into districts, which those
most colivemetit to diem were to supply—but in
this Ellonnetit several places were totally omitted,
and, amongst die rest, Ilya where he resided, so that
they were almost prevented from rotomit; water
at all. He was induced to look into this sukiret,
in co- sequence of hosing, list Session, brought in
the Metropelia Paving Act—and lie then saw the
necessity of potting an end to the imposition of the
Water Companies. It was clear that competitioit
was always neeerwary to insure to the public a sup-
ply of every article at the most reasonable rate—
and, as :he public, in this iastance, were deprived
of the betietit of such a competition, he could
wish to place them to that situation which
would prevent theirs float lying at the mercy
of the Water Comanies, who might 110 W end On
them to pay woe rate they 'pleased. bedew.' of
that, lie tit ght a maximum, ought to be affixed to
the supply, beyoud which the %Water Companies
should not be still'ered to. proceed —mid also that a
reserve, in case of tire. should always Ire ready to
check the progress of that devuuroug element. It
was notorious, that, about brirell weeks ago,
dreadful fire broke out in the Strand, at which se-
veral liars were loot, in corisequence of the boiler
of the I'o.k-buildings Water Company being out
of repair, which prevented the water from being
turned on. If the House granted a Committee,
he hoped mach measures would be taken, as would
prevent an occurrence of this kind it: future. The
%Voter Companies themselves see the baneful el-
frets of $111:1111 monopoly, and he could not
tun-
crive that even their friends would oppose the for-
mation of a Committee up-stairs.

Mr. WAttav: the Water Companies were
themselves anxious to propose a maximum. The
Grand Junction Company, he understood, had no
objection whatever, to the principle—on which, in-
deed, they acted at present.
The Petition Kilb then read, and referred to a
Committee.