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the Local Government Board may require it. Until recently,
the constant supply had been voluntarily given by the Companies;
neither the Metropolitan Authority in the past (the
Metropolitan Board of Works), nor the Local Government
Board, nor the Board of Trade, whose powers are now
executed by the Local Government Board, having called upon
the Companies to provide it. The ground alleged by the
Metropolitan Board for their failure to call upon the Companies
to provide constant supply, was, that the Companies
had made the "regulations" so stringent as to constitute a
heavy and unnecessary tax on the owners and occupiers of
houses. It is the fact nevertheless, that, the Companies
having taken the initiative, 67 per cent. of the houses in the
metropolis now have constant supply; and the system is
being extended daily. For the first time since the passing of
the Metropolis Water Act, 1871, the Metropolitan Authority
(i.e., the County Council) made application, in October, 1889,
to a Waterworks Company, requiring from the Company a
constant supply in a certain district described in the notice.
At the instance of the Works and Sanitary Committee,
your Vestry made an application, two years ago, to the West
Middlesex Waterworks Company to give constant supply to
that portion of the parish which lies between the Great
Western Railway, Kensal Road, and Bosworth Road; the
remainder of North Kensington, i.e., all parts of the parish
north of Uxbridge Road, already having constant service,
given by the voluntary act of the Grand Junction Company.
In effect the Company declined to comply with the application,
whereupon the County Council was requested by your Vestry
to intervene, and did so, with the result that early in the year
1891 the Company intimated their willingness to voluntarily
give a constant supply to the area in question.
At a meeting of your Vestry, held in July, 1891, a resolution
was passed, also at the instance of the Works and