THE LONDON WATER SUPPLY BILL.

THE LONDON WATER SUPPLY BILL.

The London county council is a most vigorous opponent of the British government’s bill for the municipalising by purchase of the various metropolitan water companies. The county council feels hurt that its dignity as the “Parliament of London” should have been utterly ignored by Lord Salisbury and his ministry, and that it should have been insulted by the introduction of a bill which virtually declares it unfit to control the water companies. The measure as proposed contemplates the appointment of a chairman, a vicechairman, and sixty-seven members as a water hoard, which to a certain extent will he under the jurisdiction of the local government board, and to which it will report every year. The members, however, will not be responsible to the taxpayers, though at the same time twenty-eight of these will he chosen by a vote of the twenty-eight borough councils, which are elected by the taxpayers, and so represent them: but the county council feels aggrieved that to these borough councils should he given a privilege denied, as it is asserted, to the more important body, which is allowed only ten representatives. The remaining members will he appointed hv the corporation of the city of London, which will thereby he enabled mainly to control the hoard, over which Greater London will have no direct control at all. This the county council insists is taxation without representation, and. therefore, unconstitutional. For that reason it will strenuously oppose the bill. It may be added that the area of the county which the London county council represents is 117 square miles, comprising a population of 4,533,000. Outside of the county the area of the water district is 440 souare miles, comprising a population of 1,362,000. The water hoard already referred to will confer with the eight water companies which supply London as to what price thev will put upon their nlants. Three arbitrators will then fix the terms of purchase, their decision to he final, so far as regards matters of fact, whatever questions of law may arise to he referred to the court of Appeals. The works will be naid for in three per cent, stock of the water hoard, and if the income from the water rates should prove insufficient to meet that payment, the deficit will be met hv taxation. Such treatment savors rather of overgenerosity than of any disposition to give the companies any cause of complaint as to a lack of liberality in the terms afforded them. Such fair offers as those this hill holds out to the London water companies would certainlv he jumped at hv the average private water company in the United States.

The London county council is a most vigorous opponent of the British government’s bill for the municipalising by purchase of the various metropolitan water companies. The county council feels hurt that its dignity as the “Parliament of London” should have been utterly ignored by Lord Salisbury and his ministry, and that it should have been insulted by the introduction of a bill which virtually declares it unfit to control the water companies. The measure as proposed contemplates the appointment of a chairman, a vicechairman, and sixty-seven members as a water hoard, which to a certain extent will he under the jurisdiction of the local government board, and to which it will report every year. The members, however, will not be responsible to the taxpayers, though at the same time twenty-eight of these will he chosen by a vote of the twenty-eight borough councils, which are elected by the taxpayers, and so represent them: but the county council feels aggrieved that to these borough councils should he given a privilege denied, as it is asserted, to the more important body, which is allowed only ten representatives. The remaining members will he appointed hv the corporation of the city of London, which will thereby he enabled mainly to control the hoard, over which Greater London will have no direct control at all. This the county council insists is taxation without representation, and. therefore, unconstitutional. For that reason it will strenuously oppose the bill. It may be added that the area of the county which the London county council represents is 117 square miles, comprising a population of 4,533,000. Outside of the county the area of the water district is 440 souare miles, comprising a population of 1,362,000. The water hoard already referred to will confer with the eight water companies which supply London as to what price thev will put upon their nlants. Three arbitrators will then fix the terms of purchase, their decision to he final, so far as regards matters of fact, whatever questions of law may arise to he referred to the court of Appeals. The works will be naid for in three per cent, stock of the water hoard, and if the income from the water rates should prove insufficient to meet that payment, the deficit will be met hv taxation. Such treatment savors rather of overgenerosity than of any disposition to give the companies any cause of complaint as to a lack of liberality in the terms afforded them. Such fair offers as those this hill holds out to the London water companies would certainlv he jumped at hv the average private water company in the United States.