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51
clause was inserted to the effect that no person shall be entitled to
demand or continue to receive from the Company a supply of electricity
for any premises having a separate supply, unless he has agreed with
the Company to pay to them such minimum annual sum as will give
them a reasonable return on the capital expenditure, and will cover
other standing charges incurred by them in order to meet the possible
maximum demand for those premises. As it appeared that the
clause was inserted with a view to protect the Company from the
course which has sometimes been adopted by large consumers,
such as theatres, &c., who are in a position to compel the Company to
lay their mains to the consumers' premises, while the consumers use
their own plant and generate their own current, of calling upon the
Company for a supply on rare occasions, when their own plant breaks
down, the Council decided not to oppose it. The Bill as amended
was passed.
Supply of
Electricity
60. This Bill was introduced by Lord Wolverton on behalf of the
Government, and proposed amongst other things to
empower authorised undertakers for the supply of
electricity to compulsorily acquire land for generating stations subject to
the provisions of the Lands' Clauses Acts, to supply electricity in bulk
to other authorised undertakers, and to reduce the ordinary period of
seven years for a revision of maximum charges to five years in any
Act passed after the passing of the Bill. The Council petitioned in
favour of the Bill, which passed the House of Lords, and was not
proceeded with further.
London Port
and Docks.
Port of
London.
Thames
Harbour.
61. These three Bills, the first of which was introduced by the
London County Council, proposed to establish a Commission
for the administration of the Port of London.
The Council petitioned against the Bills and in favour
of a public inquiry into the matter. The Bills have not
yet been read a second time.
London Gas.
Gas Light
and Coke,
South
Metropolitan,
and
Commercial
Gas.
South Metropolitan
Gas.
62. The first of these Bills was introduced by the London County
Council, and included the recommendation of the Departmental
Committee of the Board of Trade recently
appointed to inquire into the subject of gas testing in
the Metropolis with reference to method of testing gas,
and modifications of the present test for sulphur
impurities.