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117
at a very early stage of the inquiry by the Select Committee
of the House of Commons, the City joined with the County
Council, not for the purpose of amending, but of destroying
the Bill. The attitude of the City was especially surprising,
as the heads of agreement which they entered into with the
County Council recognised the latter as supreme and independent
on all questions of principle in regard to the supply
of water to the whole Metropolitan area.
5. The line taken by the County Council was merely a plea for
delay, and the different reasons assigned by the Council's
witnesses in support of this plea were much at variance.
Thus, Sir T. H. Farrer, vice-Chairman, pleaded for the
appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire whether the
present sources of supply of water are adequate in quantity
and quality to the growing needs of the population (questions
2,983 and 2,985), although he subsequently stated
(question 3,460) that he should wish to acquire the Water
Companies' undertakings at their fair value, and it would be
only in the event of more than a fair value being demanded,
that he would wish to bring into exercise the power to compete
with the Companies. Mr. Binnie, the Council's
Engineer, urged that it was undesirable to compel the Water
Authority to acquire the existing undertakings, until further
inquiry had been made as to the future source of supply,
although he admitted (question 4,554) that he was not aware
of any case where a public authority had been authorised
by Parliament; to establish competing works with an existing
statutory Company, and (question 4,555) that such a course
would not only be without precedent, but would be a
suicidal kind of thing to do. The evidence of Mr. Charles
Harrison, Chairman of the Council's Parliamentary Committee,
is rather difficult to follow, but he seems to urge
that the settlement of the water question must be delayed
until the incidence of local taxation has been adjusted as
between owner and occupier. Mr. Haggis, Deputy-Chairman,
suggested that a Committee of the Council and a
Royal Commission should sit concurrently but independently,
the former, apparently to negotiate with the Companies
(questions 5,625 and 5,626), while the latter were inquiring