The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-30 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

ROUSE OF COMMONS, April 29
SUPPLY OF WATER TO THE METROPOLIS.

(Continued from our Fourth Edition of last night.)

Mr. lIUME thought the Hon. Gentleman who Lad
just sat down had shown rather too mush warmth
against the companies. The only parties to blame were
the Members of that House, who had given such large
powers to the water companies. They all agreed, how-
ever, that it was necessary to improve the supply of water
to the metropolis, not only in point of quantity, but of
quality. He had heard with attention the speech of the
Right Iron. Gentleman (Sir G. Grey), but he did not
hear him state that any increased or better supply of
water was to be given Caen at present. Now he held
that no alteration should be made that did not provide for
a better quality of wuter.—(Hear, hear.) :It was, in his
opinion, by competition alone that a better and larger
supply of water could be obtained. Ho had once suc-
ceeded in getting a clause introduced into a water Bill
to the effect that ne combination should take place with
any other company; but after competition had gone on
for some time the parties came again before Parliament,
and got the clause excluded. The consequence was that
within a few years the companies had the metropolis
divided into districts, thus creating such a monopoly as
rendered all prospect of a reduction hopeless. He was
fearful that the plan proposed by the Government would
be very difficult to carry out, for he had no faith in
the control of pubic bodies by Parliament or the Go-
vernment. Then he objected to give compensation to
the companies for al, the waste they had been guilty of.
Tee best way to obtain a good supply of water for large
towns was to let in Sew companies Kith new capital, and
to enable thena to get water from new sources. The re-
duction in the price of gas was effected, not by the in-
terference of Government, hut by allowing new compa-
nies to come in, which had the effect of forcing the ex-
isting companies tc lower their rates.—(Hear, hear.)
He believed the inquiries before the Committee would
show the difficulties which Government had to contend
with in the scheme which they had laid before the
House.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir B. HALL wished to say a very few words. He
had observed that when his Hon. Friend (Mr. Hume)
remarked that there ought to be new sources of supply
for the metropol:s, the Hon. Baronet (Sir W. Clay)
called " Hear, heat," and therefore assented to that pro•
position. Now, ha would ask the shareholders in the
water companies if they were of that opinion why they
had not brought forward these new sources of supply.
Why had they no; taken the steps that were necessary
for supplying the wants of the metropolis? He ob-
jected very much to paying these shareholders the full
amount of the capital expended. A great deal of the
stock and plant of these companies would be of no use
whatever, and yet :hese gentlemen expected to have full
value for their property. Many Bills had been brought
in for a supply of water, but they had been invariably
opposed by the existing companies. No later than last
year there were two or three Bills for that purpose, but
they were opposed both ley the existing companies and
the Government. The Government said they ought to
wait till the report of the Board of Health was obtained,
and on that ground the tills were thrown out. Instead
of perpetuating the evils of the present system, they
should offer every inducement to parties to come forward
and form new companies, so as to put an end to these
monopolies that had exieel so long, and which had put
such vast sums of mono? into the pockets of the share-
holders.—(Bear, hear.) He questioned whether this
Bill would not do more farm than good; but as they were
to have it discussed is Committee, and as petitions
would probably be presented from various parties to be
heard against the complies, he would not say more at
present on the subject. He must say, however, that he
deprecated the conduct of the shareholders of those com-
panies who had been st utterly indifferent to the wants
of the people of the mtropolis, and so careless of the
sanitary condition of tie metropolis, as to withhold from
it that full supply of water which it was their duty to
furnish.—(Hear.)
Viscount EBRING?ON expressed his regret that
such a measure should come from a Government to
which he was sincerey attached, both on public and
private grounds, and recause it had done more to for-
ward sanitary measure 3 than any other which existed
for centuries before.--(Hear, hear.) In this instance as
in the case of Sraithfied•market, they never estimated
the amount of sappor, which would be at their com-
mand, if they broughtforward a sound and comprehen-
sive measure.--(Hear.) While the plan of the Right
Hon. Bavonet proposed to consolidate all the companies,
and place in the hands of the Secretary of State the
power of enforcing aresort to a batter source for a bet-
ter supply, and to reserve to the Government the power
of taking the plants of the companies at a fixed valua-
tion, was very well,
‘4t they gave up an important point,
that of combining the supply of water with the drain-
age, by which they would effect a great seeing to the
::mount of one-eighth in earth works alone, besides fur-
ther savings on acmunt of superintendence. He saw no
difficulty on this head, but if it was found impracticable
the course would hive been to give the superintendence
of the northern civision to one party, and that of
the southern to another. He considered it highly
objectionable to give a monopoly on the supply of
water to private parties, which properly belonged
to the municipalities, where they existed, and whre
they did not to the communities who e ere entitled to
any profits which might anise from the supply. The
Member for Marylebone locked to the principle of
competitien as a remedy far the present evils, but the
history of all these companies would prove that such a
principle would not be effective. They commenced with
great promises of an ample supply and low prices, which
they adhered to while exposed to rivalry, but after-
wards the companies entered into a combination among
themselves, and the public eventually had to pay for all
the capital expended in the expensive competition in
which they were engaged. The report of the Committee
of 1822 stated, thtt the companies were not subject to
j competition, and that the supply was a fit subject for
legislation. The deficiency of the supply was admitted.
Now there could be no doubt but a deficiency of
water acted injuriously, not only on the physical, but
on the moral condition of the pecple, and ought, on
that account, to be taken out of the category of
trade. There was another point to which he
wished to advert, which was the amount of com-
pensation which was to be secured to the companies
upon the rates of the metropolis, and to which he did not
consider them entitled, in consideration of their conduct
the one to the ether, or to the Mlle. When the New
River was brought for a supply, no compensation was
granted to those who were affected by it. The supply
of water from the Thames was acknowledged to be im-
pure. He thought that vested interests should be libe-
rally dealt with, but the companies should not press too
hard, for in that case the public would do justice to
consumers' company. They
themselves, and set up a
could not expect the public to
paythem interest on tho
capital they foolishly expended in at expensive and reck-
less competition. Let them look at the case of turnpike
trusts, in which the public invested their money upon the
credit of Acts of Parliament, and who obtained but five
per cent. on their minimum capital of 106,0001. claimed;
100,0001. was cut off, and they received interest upon no
more than 6,0001. He considered the claims put forward
by the water companies for compensation unreasonable.
He could only regret that the Government which had
sanctioned the report of the Board of Health, and which
had the signature of Lord Carlisle, should introduce so
defective a Bill.
Sir WILLIAM CLAY said he would not have offered
a remark upon the subject but for the observations of
the Hon. Member for Bridport with regard to the Grand
Junction Company. He inherited property in that com-
pany, but had nothing to do with the management at
the time when the competition took place. They were,
however, encouraged by the Lagialatere, and were, in
fact, for eight or nine years without any returns. The
Member fur Montrose advocated competition as a remedy,
but in that he stood alone, It could not be applied to
the supply of waver, for the public would sooner or
hater, have to pay for the capital expended in this com-
petition. When this division was made the prices
charged by the companies sees eanctional by that House;
end did not amount to more than four per cent. upon the
C 9 pi!a! expended. If the companies had since prospered,
it was owing to the increase of the metropolis
without the companies incurring a corresponding
increase of expenditure. It was true that the
supply was deficient, but that was not owing
to the companies. It was their interest to