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panies, moreover, enjoy a valuable monopoly, so that, economical
laws notwithstanding, the legislature would probably be justified
in dealing with the question in an exceptional way. Naturally
a Sanitary Inspector has no option but to take measures to secure
a restoration of supply when the water has been cut off, but
it is not satisfactory that the powers conferred on your Vestry
should have to be put in motion, practically, for the benefit of
the Companies whose officers, indeed, are, not seldom, our informants.
A good many instances of this sort came under my
attention in the past year, and I was thus led to look into the
powers and duties of the Companies ; and as it seems not
improbable that, ere very long, the London Water Supply will
have to be taken into consideration by Parliament, the following
information, in view of such an event, may not be unacceptable.
Every Company of course has its own " Special Act." What
powers these confer I know not : but every Company has powers,
also, under "The Waterworks Clauses Act, 1847 " (10 Vic.,
cap. 17), the 74th section enabling a Company to cut off the
water for non-payment of the rate. The section reads as
follows :—
" If any person supplied with water by the undertakers, or liable as herein,
or in the Special Act provided, to pay the water rate, neglect to pay
such water rate at any of the said times of payment thereof, the undertakers
may stop the water from flowing into the premises in respect of
which such rate is payable, by cutting off the pipe to such premises, or
by such means as the undertakers shall think fit, and may recover the
rate due from such person, if less than twenty pounds, with the
expenses of cutting off the water, and costs of recovering the rate, in
the same manner as any damages for the recovery of which no special
provision is made are recoverable by this or the Special Act; or if the
rate so due amount to twenty pounds or upwards, the undertakers may
recover the same, with the expenses of cutting off the water, by action
in any court of competent jurisdiction."
It may be mentioned here that the Company's servants, when
they go to cut off the water for non-payment of the rate, are not
allowed to take money, i.e., to receive payment of the rate, so
that if the owner or occupier of a house, being in default, or if