The Sun.
London, England, 1818-11-28 00:00:00

ErV3 LONDON \VATEII-VVOIiI:S.

Yesterday a Meetinv ref the inhabitant boo!e-

imickrs and others, of the Finsbury and 'lover

divisimis in the North East district of the metro-

polio, was held at the City of London Tavern,
wilt:, to receiv..! the Report Of the Committee ap-
pointed to inquire into the monopoly effected by
the combination of the New River and Gait

London Water-works Companies
Mr. SHARPF. took the Chair at about 1 o'clock
The SECRETARY read the advertisement by
which the Meeting was convt-mted.
The CHI IRMAN then observed, that as Chairman of the
Committee appointed by the last Meeting, it was his duty to
apprize the e of the result of their proceedings,. The Com-
mittee bad studiously avoided ell,personal consideratinne, and
directed their attention exclosively to the politic. duty which
they were called upon to discharge. The Report about to he
submitted to them contained a great portion of the evidence
on which their Committee had proceeded, and therefere
would enable them to judge how far the trust which they hod
delegated was conscientiously and judiciously pertortne
He felt it necessary to inform 'them, that shortly after the
Cemmittee Pad entered on their inquiry, it was intimated to
them that the Water Companies were willing to compromise
the matter, hut the Committee fele themselves hound to et-
tenet to no compromise without a direct application on the
subject, and particularly so as the greatest difficulty, if not
a total impossibility, resist have stood in the way of any ars
rangement between them which could embrace the public at
large. It was to be observed, as to the maeaer of their pre--
ceeding, that they had stated no facts without annexine, the
proof; except in one case where the interest of private inch-
viduals• was concerned. They thought it proper that the
proofs in this case should be withheld, until the question
was brought before a Committee of the House of Commons,
which was the course they felt it their duty to recommend.
The SECRETA Hy read the Report of the General Committee,
which stated the necessity of revising the Acts of Parliament
by which the New giver and East London Water Works Com-
panies were created, before those evils could he redressed of
which the public complained. It charged those Companie;
with a combination, injurious to the public, by which they
were enabled to raise the water charges partially, and
in
many instances excessively, and contained an appendix, con-
sisting of the evidence on which the Committee Tested the al--
legations of its Report.
Mr. Bre° moved that the Report should be received and
adopted by the Meeting. Little, he thought, was necessary
to be said, in order to prove the value of the Report which
bad just been read. The onus lay in the Committee, in the
first instance, to make out a case which could justify legisla-
tive interference. The Committee bad done so. If they had
made out no other fact than that of the numerous hisees,
both of property and life, occasioned by the want of a spvecy
and sufficient sappy of water, on the breaking out of fires in
the metropolis, that fact, would, in his opinion, be enough.—'
The arbitrary and exorbitant rate of charge was another fact,
equally amounting to ajustification. The public were bound
to oppose this petty tyranny, and particularly as the Compa-
nies by whom it was exercised had not performed their con-
tract with the public, or fulfilled the terms on which the Le
• gisiat ore had granted the Charter.
Mr. H. BoAreoßn seconded the motion, and attributed the
thin attendance to the conduct of certain individuals, who
tore down the placards by which the Meeting was called to-
gether. He complained that every pains
.had been taken to
misrepresent the character and objects of the Gentlemeo en-
gaged on the Committee, hut hoped they would not be deter-
red by such means from doing their duty.
Mr..Jacoes stated, that he had formerly received a supply
of Water for his manufactory from the New River Company,
and had always found it sufficient; but since he was trans-
ferred to the East London Company, his work was materially
obstructed by an insufficient supply, for which he could obtain
no redress. •
Mr. YouNo- said, that he attended that Meeting, on puhlic
grounds. He was a Proprietor of the East London Water-
works' company; but he..felt a deeper interest in the conveni-
ence and prosperity of the district in which he lived. .lie bad
at the former Meeting objected to the introduction of ex-parte'
stat ements, and recommended t hat the Committee should hold
a communication With the I)irvetois of those Companies, re-
specting, the charges urged against them. He now asked the
Chairman whether any such communication bad been made ?
A general charge had been made on the last day, in which
th,, Companies were accused of breaking their agreements
with indieideals, by raising the rate upon landlords, whom
they had humid themselves to supply for a term of years at a
certain price. He had since made inquiry into this accusa-
tion, end he found that there were only three instances of
priv ite agreements of this nature, which were, in fact, so
inconsiderable, that they were overlooked ; but the moment
they were discovered, they were adhered to. With regard to
• the legality and propriety of uniting the two Companies, he
should only say, that it had been devised and directed by one
of the first legal authorities in the kingdom, and that unless
tech an am rangemeot was effected, either one or both of the
Companies inust hare fallen.
The CILIIRmAN,.in answer to the question put by the
former speaker, said that no communication had been re-
ceived by the Committee from the Directors of the Writer
Companies, and the Committee felt that-if any communica-
timer was inm ended,it should have proceeded from that quarte,r.
Mr. Youten said, the answer was complete : it -was now
clearly to be observed, that the Committee had taken no pains
to make their r\omplaiNts known to the Company. All that
had hitherto been done, was therefore to be regarded as an
cx-paste proceeding.,
'Mr. GABLE (protect, as an instance of what the Company
considered a-moderate rise in their charges, an advance from
S to lti shillings.
Isle. one; of the Collectors of the Company, oh-
- served that when lie told Mr. Liumford of the increase that
was made, so far from complaining of it, lie allowed it was
moderate, and when Mr. Reynolds told- him be had agreed for
water at a certain price, his claim was immediately admitted
on bei,n7, ascertained by t lie Directors.
Mr. Boit roan admitted, that the charge made on him was
moderate, but that did not prevent him from disapproving
of the orbitant charges made in the case of others.
Mr. Revieoreas said, he had attended the Directors, and
stated his agreement, but though his claim was necessarily
admitted, he eas accused by one of them as a ringleader of
the patty against the Company.
Mr. W'l LK ER, Who was once_ engineer to the Company,
defended them against the charge of profuse and unnecessary
expenditure.
Mr. \Vaesu observed that the o' ject of the meeting was not
to consider the plans end practice of different engineers, but
to determine on the hest- means of defeating time combination
betne•en the East Loudon and New River Companies. After
dwelling with considerable force on the injurious effects of
Inimopoly, especially in the important article of water, he CO ft-
chided with observing, thin the opieions of high legal men
ought not to supersede, in their minds, the dictates of cam-
mon sense and time obvious meaning of an skt of Parliament.
For these reasons he should vote for the Report of the Com-
mittee,
Mr. Goon, of Whitechapel, stated that he had been called
upon to ply an advance of 45 per cent. since the union of
the two Companies.
Me. I,II,LILY moved as an amendment, that the Report
should be received on the 25th of December; and obste red
that the present profits of the Company did not exceed two
and a halt per cent.
The Amendment was not seconded. .
Mr. BIGG spoke at some length, in reply; after which, the
original ;moron was agreed to, with one only. diSsentient.
Mr. LUMLEY moved that a.Petition should be presented-to
Parliament.
Mr. Boyneti seconded the• Motion, and expressed himself
proud to see Mi. Byrig rotrong the companY. He was sure
that they would have his support in one House as'ih'ey would
have that i:f Earl Gresvermor iii the other.
The motion was agreed to, and a Committde was appointed
to superiotend'eime presenting of time Petition.
Mr. f3Ercso, on moving.' he thanks of the Meeting to Mr.
Byng, expressed his satisfaction that the County of Middlesex
could at least say that one, out of. its two Memlsers, repre-
sented its feelings. He hoped the time Would come when
they could truly say that they were represented by both.
BYNO declared his readiness to attend:upon all occa-
sions-where his -assistance was necessary to. promote any de-
sirable 'defect. The monopoly alluded to had given him great
uneasiness. He recollected the Bill in 1807, by Which the
East London Water Company was established with the ad-
mitted view 'AO create competition. The Bill was much op-
posed, and the Committee bad sat upon it he believed 40
• days.' He was afterwards present at the creation of the West
Middlesex and Greed Junction Waterworks, and such were
the efforts made by the respective 'Companies, that in the
• square in ,which he" resided, five different Water eompanies
had laid pipes, -and were actually working at a loss. The
reisfortune:of this was, that by a coalition amongst themselves
they defeated competition altogether. At the sarno time it
av•ts difficult for the 'Legislature to fix a price at which the
public should be supplied with the article; the best course