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45
consideration."Question: "Would you consider any price within their
maximum exhorbitant ?'—'Yes, for instance, if the price were twice as
large as that charged by another Company in the adjoining district."
"I say they are not discharging their duty, even if they are
not charging their maximum price, if they are charging a much higher
price than what other Companies similarly circumstanced are supplying
other parties at."
After an enquiry extending over many days, the Parliamentary
Committee reported in favour of the Edison Company's Order,
subject to the maximum price being reduced from 9d. to 8d. per
unit. The Vestry do not attach much importance to the maximum
price mentioned in the Order, as they conceive the Company will
be compelled, in their own interests, to approach the price of gas as
nearly as possible, and especially bearing in mind the important
statements by the Secretary of the Board of Trade which are quoted
above.
The Order as amended passed the House of Commons, but when
it came before the Lords renewed opposition was threatened by the
Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company, and the Edison
Company, apparently fearing the loss of their Order, entered into
negotiations with their opponents, with a view to arriving at a
mutual understanding on the question of districts. The two companies
eventually agreed that the opposition should be withdrawn,
and that, subject to the consent of the Board of Trade, a portion of
the area of supply comprised in the Order should be transferred to
the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company. The
approval of the Local Authorities was subsequently sought to this
arrangement, and the Vestry, seeing no objection to the same,
expressed a general approval thereof. The Board of Trade, however,
intimated that the proposed transfer should be effected by
means of a Provisional Order, and the necessary notices were given
and proceedings taken for obtaining an Order.
On the draft Order being deposited the Vestry made certain
suggestions for the amendment thereof, the most important being
a reduction in the price to that offered by the Telegraph Construction
and Maintenance Company in the previous year, and the
substitution of a minimum annual charge to small consumers for a