The examining barristers, appointed by the House of Commons to
inquire whether the standing orders have been complied with in the ease of applications for private bills, are busy with the bills promoted with a view to improve the Metropolitan Water Supply. Six of these are brought forward by existing companies, two by projected new companies. The Government Water Bill has not yet been lodged ; and the so-called Ratepayers' Water Bill also appears to hang fire. With reference to these two mea- sures, it ought to be known that suspicions of collusion between the promoters of the latter and the Government are loudly ex- pressed. The delay in bringing them forward looks as if the game, persisted in for several sessions, of inducing the House of Commons to repel all private applications for improvement of the Metropolitan water-supply, by pretending to bring forward a com- prehensive measure under the auspices of Government, were about to be played over again. True, the Board of Health has been obliged to vacate the field ; but the clacqueurs of Lord Seymour are busy whispering that he has some great water project in petto.
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