Minutes of evidence taken before the Select Committee on the Supply of Water to the Metropolis ; together with an appendix, containing sundry papers laid before them.

  • Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Select Committee on the Supply of Water to the Metropolis.
Date:
[1821?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Minutes of evidence taken before the Select Committee on the Supply of Water to the Metropolis ; together with an appendix, containing sundry papers laid before them. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    William M. Coe, persons have not given a positive refusal that we have served notice on, they not V '''j having paid the rate, but wishing for delay. (a Februar Is a. notice served, stating that it is on account of the nonpayment of this additional rate ?—I think the notice states, that in consequence of their having refused to pay the rate, they are to take notice that, &c. All in one form ?—A printed form. Are there any prosecutions now depending, in consequence of that, against the company ?—Not that I am aware of. After having given notice to them of your intention of cutting off, in case they do not pay that increased demand, have they then subsequently signified their intention of paying it ? —Yes ; we have found that many to whom the notice was delivered have afterwards denied that they refused to pay it; they have no objection to pay it; they have not all paid merely in consequence of that notice. Have persons subsequently signified to you that rather than suffer the inconve- nience of losing the supply of water they would pay the increased demand ?—Yes. Many ?—Yes. Taking the proportion of the notices, have half agreed to pay under them ?—No^ certainly not; in fact, there are many of them have paid without my knowing the reason ; after they have received a notice, the collector has called and has been paid. But have they paid rather than suffer the inconvenience of the loss of their water ?—Yes ; some have, but very few. Have you any means of knowing what is said between the collector and the in- dividual renting the house ?—No ; I only speak of appeals that come to the ofiice ; the collectors seldom report unless it is that any tenant wishes to see some one from the office ; then I have called, and after an explanation of what the company are likely to gain by it, they have readily consented, without suffering the water to be cut off. You have not considered that they shall bind themselves to continue to pay that rate ?—We consider that the tenant may give us notice to discontinue our water at any time : a person will come to our office and say, I do not wish my supply con- tinued after to-morrow, which is quarter day. Have you no contracts on leases with tenants ?—I do not think we have more than one; I believe we had one six or seven years ago, and I do not think it is out yet. Were not the notices given generally and indiscriminately to all tenants, without reference to those who had refused ?—When we first began to give a notice, there were from a thousand to fifteen hundred persons who had not paid the rate, and to those we gave notice. The Grand Junction water company is now cutting off supply, on the ground of refusing to pay the high rates ?—No ; upon the ground of their refusing to enter into contracts with us for a future supply. That refusal is founded on the high rates ?—Yes. Have you not this power of cutting off, in the case of nonpayment, under your act of parliament ?—We conceive so. And you have likewise a power of bringing actions, in case of nonpayment for your water supply ?—I consider so. Is it not thought to be a milder mode of proceeding, the cutting off water, rather than bringing actions ?—The person receiving the water can give the best informa- tion on that; it is less expensive to us. Have you ever cut off water wantonly and capriciously, or only for the non pay- ment of your demand ?—Not that I am aware of. In the allotment of districts by the boards, is there any instrument that is legally obligatory on you ?— None that I am aware of. So that if you thought fit to break the verbal agreement, you might still enter any district you thought fit ?—Yes. Is there, to your knowledge, even a verbal agreement that the companies shall not go into the other districts ?—None that I am aware of. Do not you know it has been declared by all of them, that they may go into any other district to-morrow ?—Certainly, we rather understand that; if we practise any system of extortion, the New River company would come into our district. At the time of that division you surrendered the works from each respective district, and purchased or sold the mains and the pines belonging to each district} Consequently >