The dearth of water in Bermondsey and Rotherhithe, a dearth
so extreme that washing may be considered discontinued, and the poor people have the greatest difficulty in making their tea, has been mentioned in Parliament, but it seems that no one has power to do anything except send an In- spector to report upon the facts. This is about to be done by Mr. Stansfeld, but when done the people will be no better off. 'They want a steady supply, and they cannot have it unless Parlia- ment will frighten the monopolist Water Companies into doing their duty. The Companies say that if they gave sufficient water it would be wasted, but that difficulty could be met by enforcing the use of stop-cocks, supplied by themselves, and arranged to admit the water at a certain pace, or by passing the supply through meters, as in the case of gas, and charging by the quantity con- sumed. The evil is a very grave one, and one which reflects dis- credit on our social organization. If it occurred in Belgravia for twenty-four hours Parliament would be in furious excitement.
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