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35
The Commission, which was appointed in January, 1892,
constituted for the purpose of ascertaining “whether, taking
into consideration the growth of the population of the
Metropolis and the districts within the limits of the Metropolitan
Water Companies, and also the needs of the localities not
supplied by any Metropolitan Company but within the watersheds
of the Thames and the Lea, the present sources of supply
of these Companies are adequate in quantity and quality, and,
if inadequate, whether such supply as may be required can be
obtained within the watersheds referred to, having due regard
to the claims of the districts outside the Metropolis but within
those watersheds, or will have to be obtained outside the watersheds
of the Thames and the Lea.” For the purpose of
acquiring the information necessary to enable them to form a
judgment upon the questions submitted, the Commissioners
placed themselves in communication with the Metropolitan
Water Companies, the Corporation of the City of London, the
London County Council, and the Councils of the countics of
Bedford, Berks, Buckingham, Essex, Gloucester, Hants, Hertford,
Kent, Middlesex, Oxford, Surrey, and Wilts. They also
invited the Boards of Conservators of the Thames and Lea,
and all the Urban and Rural Sanitary Authorities whose
districts are wholly or partially situated within the watersheds
of those Rivers, and all the Water Companies and Public
Authorities who have waterworks in the same area to give them
any information bearing on the subject which they might be in a
position to afford. The Commissioners sat on 45 days, 32
of which were occupied in having oral evidence. There were
92 witnesses examined, most of whom were put forward by the
Metropolitan Water Companies or the County Councils of
London and the counties of Hertford, Middlesex, Surrey, Essex,
and Buckingham, and by other public bodies in London and
the neighbourhood. Some of the evidence” produced was of
such a character that it was found necessary to employ an
Assistant Commissioner to visit the localities under enquiry,
and to ascertain upon the spot the precise facts. For this