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Constant water svpply.
The chief officer of the Public Control Department has reported that the whole of the County is
now, for the first time, receiving a constant supply of water in accordance with the provisions of the
Metropolis Water Act of 1871. Upper and Lower Sydenham, supplied by the Lambeth Water
Company, and a few houses supplied by the Kent and New River Companies, are situate above the
statutory limits of height to which such companies are required to give a constant supply.
The London Equalisation of Rates Act, 1894.
The Equalisation of Rates Act provides that the London County Council shall in each year
form a fund equal to a rate of sixpence in the pound on the rateable value of London. The contribution
from each parish to the fund is to be in proportion to its rateable value. The fund thus formed
is to be distributed among the sanitary districts in proportion to their population. Where a sanitary
district comprises two or more parishes, and the aggregate of the contributions from such parishes
is less than the grant apportioned to the district, the difference shall be paid out of the fund to the
sanitary authority of the district, and no payment towards any equalisation charge shall be required
from any parish in the district.
Subject to the above, when the contribution from a parish is less than the grant due, the
difference shall be paid out of the fund to the sanitary authority of the district forming or comprising
the parish; and if it exceeds the grant due to the parish, the Council shall, for the special purpose of
meeting the excess, levy on the parish a county contribution as a separate item of the county rate.
Every sum paid to a sanitary authority must be applied in defraying the expenses of the
sanitary authority incurred under the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, and so far as not required
for that purpose those incurred in respect of lighting, and so far as not required for that purpose
those incurred in respect of streets, and where the sanitary district comprises two or more parishes the
sum paid must be apportioned among such parishes in proportion to their population, and the amount
apportioned to each parish credited to the parish in the reduction of the rate required from such pariah
towards the above-mentioned expenses.
The sanitary authority is required to render annually to the Local Government Board a return
showing the amount of the sum to be paid and the total expenses incurred in respect of the three
subjects mentioned.
If the Local Government Board, under section 101 of the Public Health (London) Act, are
satisfied that the sanitary authority have been guilty of such default as in such section mentioned, and
have made an order limiting a time for the performance of the duty of the authority, the London
County Council shall, if directed by the Local Government Board, withhold the whole or any part of
the payment of the sum due to such authority.
The Act provides that for the purposes of the distribution of the fund a census shall be taken
on the 29th March, 1896, which census was taken on that date as provided. In other years an
estimate of population on the 6th April will be made by the Registrar-General upon returns which
the Local Government Board will receive from the authority making the poor rate in each parish
showing1 the total number of houses entered in the rate book of the parish.