RURAL WATER SUPPLIES 367 



unfavourably to that part of the Bill which the Council con- 

 sidered of importance, viz., the embodiment in a general Act 

 of the principle which had been agreed to and set up in various 

 forms in a number of private Acts, this principle being the 

 inclusion of a clause protecting local consumers of water. 

 It had long been felt a hardship, after the need of such a clause 

 had been demonstrated time after time, that fresh companies 

 (or new undertakings by old companies) could be promoted, 

 threatening local consumers, who must again go to the expense 

 of opposing a Bill in support of a principle already esta- 

 blished. 



The Joint Committee, however, made two important 

 declarations : (i.) that a comprehensive inquiry into the 

 whole subject of surface and underground water supplies 

 should be held before any legislative action of the kind pro- 

 posed by this Bill was taken ; and (ii.) that the creation of an 

 organisation was needed, empowered to inquire into the whole 

 question of surface and underground water supplies, to super- 

 vise the future allocation of supplies, and to serve as an 

 authoritative adviser to Parliament in the consideration of 

 particular schemes. 



Quite a number of Water Bills were blocked in 1909, and an 

 immense amount of work fell upon Mr. Courthope, M.P. 

 (Chairman of the Chamber), in consequence. In the course 

 of several discussion and negotiations between promoters of 

 Bills, the Local Government Board, and Mr. Courthope, Mr. 

 Burns admitted to the latter the injustice of existing conditions, 

 and expressed his desire to remedy them. Unfortunately, just 

 at a critical juncture Mr. Courthope had a long and serious 

 illness, and as the instructions to Committees on these Bills 

 were all in his name they could not be moved, and an oppor- 

 tunity was thus lost. Beyond arousing public attention, 

 therefore, little was accomplished this year. 



In 1910 Mr. Courthope, assisted by Mr. Beville Stanier, 

 again blocked a number of Water Bills, and carried an instruc- 

 tion to the Committees to inquire whether the promoters had 

 made adequate provision by their Bills for the supply at 

 reasonable rates to the agricultural community within their 



