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District Boards—arose out of a memorandum by the Board's
Medical Officer, recommending severance of waste pipes-from
drains, made at a time when it was thought that Asiatic cholera
might be imported ; and although his advice was in harmony
with the views of the then Water Examiner.
Cutting-off Poweks.— Section 74 of the Waterworks
Clauses Act, 1847, gives power to the Companies to cut off the
water supply if the rate is not paid. Such a power cannot be
safely entrusted to any commercial body, having regard to
the importance of the water supply in relation to the public
health. In 1885, a striking exercise of this power by one
of the Companies in Kensington, in depriving the people
(80 in number) occupying a Mews, led to communications being
made to the Local Government Board and to the Sanitary
Authorities, which, by drawing public attention pointedly to
the subject, contributed to bring about a partial remedy by
legislation. I had for some years previously contended that
the power should be taken from the Companies; that they
should be left to their remedy like other traders, the rate being
treated as a debt to be recovered—if they did not enforce the
right of prepayment—every facility being given to them for
the purpose. The Royal Commission on the Housing of the
Working Classes in their report (1885), recommended that the
Companies be deprived of the summary power to cut-off the
water supply. Your Vestry supported a Bill brought in by
Lord Camperdown (1885) intended to settle the question, but it
being thought that the Companies had had their own way too
much in moulding the Bill in Committee of the Lords, it
was thrown out in the Commons. In 1887 a very useful
measure, Water Companies (Regulation of Powers) Act, was
passed (your Vestry petitioned the House of Commons in
favour) which, as respects houses the water rate of which is
paid by the landlord, precludes the Companies from cutting off
the supply (for which poor people pay in their rent), but gives
them very ample powers to enforce payment of their claims.
H