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5. Your Committee were favourably received by the Metropolitan Members on the
Opposition side, who gave an assurance that they would do everything possible to assist
the passage of the Bill into law when introduced.
6. Your Committee afterwards had interviews with other Members of Parliament, but
were unable to obtain the services of a Member to undertake the introduction of the Bill,
in view of the state of business in the House and the fact that it might be expected that
opposition would be offered to the Bill on the part of one or two Members, so that it
would fall under the Twelve o'clock rule. Your Committee therefore reluctantly came
to the conclusion that the idea of securing the passing of the Bill in the late Session
must be abandoned.
7. The question of convening a further Conference of the representatives of Local
Authorities towards the end of the late Session was considered, but your Committee were
of opinion that such a course would not serve any useful purpose, and they therefore
decided to leave the matter over until after the vacation.
8. From information obtained from the majority of the various Local Authorities it
appears that the cost incurred by the ratepayers of London in discharging in connection
with combined drainage liabilities which in equity pertain to private owners amounted
during the last three years to upwards of £43,000, or over £14,000 per annum. That this
amount will be largely increased year by year is certain, for owners of houses are daily
becoming more alive to their legal position, and more ready to take advantage of the
difficulty which Local Authorities experience in proving the liability of the owners for
these works, the numerous recent decisions in the Law Courts having served to advertise
this difficulty all over the Metropolis.
9. There is another point to which your Committee desire to call attention. Since
the passing of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, there has been increased activity on
the part of the Local Authorities in ascertaining the existence of nuisances, and serving
abatement notices. If some remedy which will prevent the cost of abating nuisances
relating to combined drains falling upon the ratepayers be not found, there is a danger
that a less energetic discharge of these duties may ensue, since if zealously carried out,
the result is that a heavy and unjust burden is cast upon the ratepayers instead of upon
those who in equity should bear it.