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64
control and regulation of the water supply to the metropolis and
the surrounding districts. The bill had been framed by the
Government upon the assumption that there existed a great and
a growing opinion that the time had come when the management
of the water supply of the metropolis and the surrounding
districts should be vested in a responsible and public representative
body. That assumption was not founded upon the view
that the water companies had neglected their duties to the consumer
; but, at the same time, it was somewhat anomalous that
the interests of the management should be placed in the hands
of trading companies, who must have the duty cast upon them
of considering the interests of their shareholders as well as the
interests of the consumer. This view of giving the management
of the water supply to a public body had received a great deal
of Parliamentary sanction. Thirty years had passed since the
Commission presided over by the Duke of Richmond recommended
the creation of such a body as was now proposed for
regulating the water supply of the metropolis. In 1880 Sir
William Harcourt's Committee arrived at the same conclusion,
and other Committees have reported to the same effect. In
these circumstances he hoped there would be a consensus
of opinion as to the need of such a body. It must be a municipal
body. No one, he thought, would suggest that it should be an
Imperial body or that Parliament should take charge of such
interests as the water supply of a great community. Assuming
that it should be a municipal body, the assumption would also
be granted that it should be a representative body. The Government,
therefore, proposed to establish a municipal and representative
body to take charge of the water interests of London.
Looking round to see whether there was such a body in
existence, the Government found many municipal councils
having the control of their districts; but it was agreed that the
only body to whom these powers could be entrusted was the
London County Conncil. When, however, the question was
asked whether those powers should be vested immediately and
solely in the County Council other considerations presented