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51
of electrical energy in bulk and for power and motive purposes,
was by one large and inclusive scheme extending not only to
the entire County of London but also to adjoining Boroughs and
Districts; that for the purpose of carrying out such a scheme
some Central Authority was required with statutory powers and
corresponding duties, and that the Committee were of opinion
that the London County Council should be the Authority. The
Committee also pointed out that the County Council as the
authority might exercise its powers by undertaking the whole
work, providing every authorised distributor and private consumer
with electricity in bulk at a maximum scale of charges; or,
might retain for itself one part of the undertaking permitting
private enterprise to undertake another part; or might lease for
a substantial consideration the whole enterprise to a private enterprise,
to resume possession of it when its initial stages were over.
The Committee also reported that the scheme put forward by the
Administrative County of London and District Electric Power
Company appeared to be conceived on scientific lines, and calculated
to afford a cheap supply of electrical energy at private risk
though it was not clear to what extent the paramount authority
of the County Council and the ultimate possession of the enterprise
by that Council could be secured under that scheme; that
evidence was given regarding the generation of electrical energy
at the coalfields and the transmission of it to London at a very
high voltage by overhead cables along the public roads; but the
Committee were not able to regard this as a suitable scheme; and
that with regard to all the Bills on the subject introduced into
Parliament during the present Session the Committee were of
opinion that pending the introduction of a satisfactory Bill next
session by the London County Council, or in default of that
Council by some competent body of promoters, it was not advisable
that any further progress should be made with such Bills.
Wandsworth &
Putney Gas, and
Gas Companies
(Removal ot
Sulphur
Restrictions).
74. The first mentioned Bill was promoted by the Wandsworth
and Putney Gas Company, and the second
Bill by the Wandsworth and 20 other Gas Companies
with the view so far as affects the Wandsworth
Company of repealing section 38 sub-sections (d), (e), and
(/) of the Company's Act of 1900, which were inserted at the
instance of the District Board.