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11. That, with the extensive building operations which are
being carried on in the Borough of Wandsworth, it is certain that
this increase will be continued for many years to come. The
capacity of the Borough for future development can be seen by a
reference to the report of the Census of March, 1901, which shows
that the number of persons per acre for the whole of London was
69 (or, excluding the City of London, 60.80 per acre), whilst the
number per acre in the Borough of Wandsworth was only 25.41.
The fact that the number of persons per acre in each of the six
Boroughs which are to return two Members is so much higher than
that for the whole of London (being in one case as high as 169.12
per acre) indicates that the population of such Boroughs cannot
increase to the same extent as Wandsworth. It is estimated that
there is within the Borough of Wandsworth at least 2,900 acres of
land, exclusive of the commons and other public open spaces, not
yet built upon.
12. That the area of the Metropolitan Borough of Wandsworth
is nearly one-eighth of the whole of the Metropolitan Boroughs
(excluding the City), the population about one-nineteenth, the
rateable value about one-twenty-secondth, and the number of
inhabited houses nearly one-fifteenth, whilst its proportion of the
number of representatives allotted to the Metropolitan Boroughs
is one-thirty-fourth.
13. That in view of the above-mentioned facts, and of the
rapid increase in the population and rateable value of the Borough
which has taken place in the past, and which will undoubtedly
continue for many years to come, your Petitioners submit that the
Borough of Wandsworth should be included in the Third Schedule
to the Bill as one of the Authorities to elect two Members to the
Water Board.
14. With reference to the provisions in Clause 14 of the Bill
that the Water Board shall not be required to make any payments
during the first twenty years towards the discharge of water stock,
debenture stock, mortgage debts or loans for the discharge of which
the period of eighty years is proposed to be fixed, other than the
payment in respect of each year towards the discharge of such water
stock of the amount (if any) by which the receipts exceed the expenditure
of the Water Board in that year,—your Petitioners suggest
that after the expiration of the said first twenty years payment
towards the discharge of water stock, &c., should be made at such
a rate as would pay off two-thirds of the total capital cost of the
undertaking within the remaining sixty years, leaving one-third
as a standing charge on the Watfer Undertaking, and that
the same course should be adopted with regard to further expenditure
upon capital account. In the opinion of your Petitioners the
great and enduring value of the asset would amply justify a permanent
debt equal to one-third of its cost, and such debt would
not be a burden upon the ratepayers.