366 MISCELLANEOUS 



behalf before this Commission, whose report was issued in 

 1906. This was a most disappointing document, and its 

 conclusions were certainly not supported by much of the 

 evidence laid before the Commission ; in fact, the chief, and 

 certainly the most useful, result was the collection of a mass 

 of valuable material in the various appendices attached to 

 the report. 



Rural Water Supplies. 



On several occasions prior to 1909 the Chamber had had to 

 oppose private Bills dealing with the water supply of different 

 areas. In many cases Bills were passed with practically no 

 regard to the necessities of the areas from which the supply 

 was drawn, and some districts have, as a result, been almost 

 denuded of their natural supply, while others have had to 

 pay rates for water which they had previously obtained from 

 natural sources without payment. A particularly glaring 

 attempt of this sort was the Portsmouth Water Bill in 1906, 

 which the Chamber successfully opposed. On that occasion 

 the Parliamentary Committee were instructed to block all 

 objectionable Water Bills, with a view to securing the inser- 

 tion of clauses protecting the interests of farmers and traders 

 in rural areas. 



In March, 1909, the Council instructed the Parliamentary 

 Committee to draft and introduce a Bill dealing with the 

 question of the underground supply of water, and to secure 

 a proper service for agriculturists and others in the area 

 affected at low rates. The Water Supplies Protection Bill 

 was accordingly drafted by Sir Charles Longmore (Clerk to 

 the Hertfordshire County Council) and introduced in the House 

 of Lords by Lord Desborough. It was given a second reading, 

 and after some pressure the Government agreed to send it to 

 a Joint Committee of both Houses ; prorogation intervened, 

 however, and the Bill was dropped. It was reiiitroduced in 

 1910, again got a second reading, and was referred to the 

 Joint Committee.* This Committee reported in July, but 



* Mr. Courthope gave evidence before this Committee on behalf 

 of the Council. 



