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13
authorise those already appointed, to attend at St. James's, to
do so. The Hoard complied, and appointed Messrs. Blatch-
ford, Carter, and Sinclair. The following is a copy of the
resolutions passed at the Conference, which took place at
St. James's Vastry Hall, Piccadilly, on Thursday, the 19th
June:—
" 1 That this meeting of delegates from the Vestries and
District Boards of the Metropolis affirms the necessity of the
Water Supply of London being placed in the hands of a
municipal body representative of London.
" 2 That in the opinion of this Conference, it is imperatively
necessary to restrain the Water Companies from increasing
then charges upon the basis of the Quinquennial
Valuation now in progress; and that this Conference therefore
request the President of the Local Government Board
to receive them as a deputation to (a) request him to reconsider
the. decision communicated to the House of Commons
in reply to questions on 19th March and 19th May; (b) to
submit the necessity for the introduction of a Bill by Her
Majesty's Government to suspend the exercise of the powers
conferral upon the Companies by the Act of 1847 and subsequent
Acts as to the basis of their charges; and (c) failing
the introduction of a Bill by the Government, to suggest that
facilities may be afforded for the consideration of the Bill
introduced by Mr. Causton, and now awaiting second
reading.
" 3. That, in view of the fact that the effect of the Quinquennial
re-valuation of the Metropolis now in progress
will be to augment the charge to consumers for the same
supply of water as is enjoyed by them at the present
tune and thereby to increase by a very large sum the value
of the property of the Water Companies, the Government
be requested forthwith to introduce a Bill to enable the
London County Council or some other properly representative
body to acquire the undertakings of the eight Water
Companies now supplying London, or some of them, by
agreement; or, failing agreement, to create a Board of
Arbitrators to settle the terms of transfer by compulsory
powers, or to give power to establish an independent
supply.
"4. That the President of the Local Government Board
be requested to receive a Deputation from the Local
Authorities of London in support of the above resolutions
and that all Members of Parliamnet representing
politan Constituencies be invited to join the Deputation.