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12
County Council respectively, providing for the appoinment
of a Water Committee, one-eighth of the Members
of such Committee to be appointed by the Corporation
and seven-eighths by the London County Council. Under
the provisions of these Bills the County Council would
have power to promote Bills in Parliament for the purpose
of acquiring, constructing, and maintaining water
works, to afford a new or a supplemental supply, to
acquire or lease any water works, and for other purposes
in connection therewith. The Water Committee would
be empowered to make enquiries as to the existing
supply of water within the Metropolitan water area, the
charges made for the same, and as to the possible sources
of supply, and to enter into negotiations with Companies,
&c., for the acquisition or taking on lease of their undertakings
; and the Committee were to have delegated to
them all the administrative and executive functions of
carrying on the supply of water. Only the Bill of the
London County Council is being proceeded with, and the
Committee of the House of Commons who have it under
consideration have expressed an opinion adverse to the
creation of the proposed Water Committee, but they are
proceeding with the consideration of the other provisions
of the Bill.
On the 15th March last, a Royal Commission was
appointed to enquire:—
"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 or 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 Lea."
The Commission consists of Lord Balfour of Burleigh;
Sir Gr. B. Bruce, C.E.; Sir A. Geikie, D.Sc.,