Isle of Wight Observer July 1, 1899
To the Editor of the Isle of Wight Observer Sir, – The Corporation plan evidently is “On Coronation Day leave the Borough without water”.
Disgustedly yours,
RESIDENT.
To the Editor of the Isle of Wight Observer Sir, – We came to Ryde some years ago on account of its reputation as a health resort and hearing that it was well supplied with excellent water. We obtained a sanitary certificate for our house and had all the newest sanitary appliances fixed, but in spite of all these precautions we are now in a most unsanitary state, as for the last day and a half we have been absolutely without water. I do not keep a diary, but perhaps some of your readers can say how many times within the last two years the town has been without water. It does seem to me that one great cause of the evil is that we have to pay for the water, whether we get it or not. Now, Sir, apply this to bread, suppose there was a town bakery, no shops or private baking being allowed; suppose each householder, were rated at so many loaves, according to his rent, and whether he required them or not; and suppose further he must pay for the bread even if from unavoidable causes (of which the bakery people were to be the sole judges) it could not be furnished to him. Don’t you think in such a case the ovens would be apt to get out of order, and be difficult to repair, and don’t you think the best remedy would be that the people should pay only for the bread they required and received. We should be very sorry to leave Ryde but a town with an intermittent water supply is certainly not a health resort. Will you kindly insert this letter in your paper, and enclosing my card (though not for publication).
I remain, yours faithfully,
A WELL-WISHER TO RYDE.
