1885.] 
[The New Rivers ’ Pollution Bill. 
89 
for turning into a stream water purer than the stream itself, 
if only such water in any one respeCt exceeds the standards. 
Further still : If a stream is in anyone point less pure 
than is required by the standards it will be an offence to take 
out a quantity of such water for any purpose and let it flow 
back again in its original condition. 
It is not even certain that a manufacturer or a municipal 
body will be safe if they keep their waste waters within the 
standards. It is hard to say what snares may lie within 
the following provisions : — 
“ In proving any offence against this Act evidence maybe 
given of repeated acts which taken together may cause such 
offence, although each act taken by itself may not be sufficient 
for that purpose.” What may not, by the aid of able and 
unscrupulous counsel and unscrupulous experts, be con- 
strued into an infraction of the law ! 
It will be further evident from the very use of the terms 
“organic carbon” and “organic nitrogen,” that any sus- 
pected water will be analysed by the processes employed in 
the laboratory of the late Rivers’ Pollution Commission. 
The trustworthiness of this method may be judged by a 
reference to the specimens given in the “ Journal of Science ” 
(1884, P- 260). Who could feel easy knowing that in virtue 
of such analyses he may incur a penalty of £50 per day ? 
I further perceive that in Section C mention is made of 
“ directing a person found guilty of an offence against this 
Act to use proper and sufficient modes and means, or certain 
prescribed modes or means, for the prevention of a pollution to 
any stream, &c.” Does there lurk in these words an 
attempt to prohibit precipitation processes for the treatment 
of sewage and waste waters, and to force “ broad irrigation ” 
or “ intermittent downwards filtration ” upon the public ? 
Duly considering all these points I feel it my duty to warn 
all manufacturers and municipal authorities to oppose this 
Bill at every stage and by every means. Earl Percy, 
Colonel Walrond, and Mr. Hastings doubtless mean well, 
but they have fallen into the hands of untrustworthy advisers. 
VOL. VII. (third series). 
H 
