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70
detail them. The Government had had but one object in view.
They had been aware of many interests which had been called
into action in relation to this question of water supply, and were
fully aware of the contentions which had taken place in years
past as to these interests. In view of that the Government
thought the time had come for these contentions to be brought
to an end, and their wish had been to act, as it were, as arbitrators
between the different interests. In now presenting the bill
to the house, he asked for it not only that impartial consideration
which he knew it would receive, but the assistance of their lordships,
and if any suggestions were made which would tend to
the improvement of the bill, and would make it a more workable
and useful measure, the Government would not turn a deaf ear
to such suggestions from whatever quarter of the House they
might come.
Lord Tweedmouth suggested that the title of the bill
should be, " A bill to exclude the London County Council from
attempting to deal with the water question." He maintained that
the provisions as to this new body ran counter to every precedent
to be found in the country. In the case of the great cities—
Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, and Cardiff—all had dealt with
this question through their corporations. They also had had the
question of areas to deal with, and had devised systems which
worked perfectly. Setting aside the question as to the advisability
of setting up a new body to represent London—a question
which he thought would have suggested itself to the Marquis
of Salisbury, who had often denounced the multiplication of
these bodies—the proposals of the bill ran counter to the wishes
of the various bodies which were to be included in the trust.
The Government had not consulted the various local authorities
round about London or obtained their consent to this proposal.
He was well aware of the fact that none of the surrounding
authorities wished this trust to be constituted at all. He contended
that the London County Council ought to be the water
authority for London, and emphatically protested against the
constitution of a new authority for that purpose.