In the House of Commons on Tuesday Mr. John Burns
moved the second reading of the London Water (Purchase) Bill in an able speech contrasting favourably with his recent excursions into Imperial politics Sir F. Dixon-Hartland and Mr. Whitmore, who moved and seconded the rejection of the Bill, contended that in face of the Report of the Royal Commission, and the promise of a Government Bill, its intro- duction was a mere waste of the taxpayers' money. They also declared that the subordination of Outer London—including four boroughs—to the jurisdiction of the London County Council was strongly opposed by the outside authorities. Mr. Walter Long, on behalf of the Government, adduced statistics to show that in setting up this new authority they would ignore altogether a million and a half who already formed part of" water London." He added, however, that there was a general agreement as to the necessity of purchase, and that he was himself engaged on the preparation of a Bill on the subject, which he hoped to be able to introduce next Session. In the course of the subsequent debate Mr. Asquith adversely criticised the unrepresentative character of the Water Board recommended by the Royal Commission, and defended the claims of the London County Council as the natural and only possible purchasing authority. Ultimately the second read- ing of the Bill was rejected by 253 to 176 votes. The division was mainly on party lines, but five Ministerialists supported the Bill.
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