THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 1880.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3529, 17 April 1880, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi. SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 1880.

The Water Supply question, we may safely assume, has at last been settled— but credit cannot be given either to the Borough or County for that happy consummation. Mr Wbitaker plainly intimated that once for all the matter must be settled, and the local bodies were, perforce, compelled to submit their divided opinions to his arbitration. Except that it is settled we cannot say there is much satisfaction on either side, for neither have at all succeeded in getting their demands'. The Borough upon the whole seem to have got the best of it in the matter of details, over which of late the Councils have differed, but in the matter of quantity of water to be supplied and the lattitude allowed them to compete, we imagine the County has much the best of the bargain. The * new arrangement provides that water to tha extent of 30 gallons per day per adult of the population of the Borough, or about 165,000 gallons shall be supplied, and that by measure, so that only the balance of the water after the domestic wants of the inhabitants ara provided for can be disposed of for motive power, whereas by the previous agreement an unlimited supply of water was granted for the wants of the residents, and an extra quantity for motive power was granted—iv fact of late there was no restriction to the quantity of water used, and there was no intention of the County to impose any, but now the quantity is fixed, and the best use of the amount must be made by the Borough. We shall not be surprised if the Borough finds out that after all the County have had the be?t of the bargain—the latter body has afcanyrate secured £2500—and has been relieved from its share of the liabilities of the Domestic Supply. Notwithstanding all the trouble that there has been over the matter we believe the County will yet allow the Borough to have all the water required if there is not too much

given for motive power purposes. The fact of the matter is there has been more feeling and an attempt to overreach each incorporated into the matter other than concerns either for the amount of water required by one side or that to be given by the other. We shall be pleased to find that with the settlement of this question will end that spirit of dissection which has for years disgraced our public

bodies and prevented .that attention to the common wants of the inhabitants of tbo entire district, which alone should be the first and only object of our public men.