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importance, the varying "standards" north and south of the
Thames. The only clause of the scheme appearing to deal with
this subject proposed to make the provisions of the Gas Light and
Coke Company's Acts apply when they were in conflict with those
of the other company, and one result of this might be to raise the
standard price in the South Metropolitan Company's district without
the authority of Parliament, from 3s. 6d. to 3s. 9d., the sum
mentioned in the Act of the Gas Light and Coke Company. It
may further be stated that the price of gas for public lighting
throughout the Metropolis is fixed at the amount charged for the
time being to private consumers in the district of the South Metropolitan
Company, and local authorities have therefore a direct interest
in preventing any raising of the standard price in that district. As
the value of the residual products has much increased since the
standard price was fixed by Parliament, and improved processes
have lessened the cost of producing gas, the standard should be
lowered instead of being increased if it is to be altered at all. The
scheme also provided for a large increase of capital bearing preferential
claims. On these grounds, principally, the Vestry objected
to the scheme of amalgamation, and requested the Board of Trade
to withhold their consent to the same.
The vestry subsequently received a communication from the
Board of Trade stating, that having regard to all the circumstances
of the case, and to the almost unanimous opposition of the representatives
of the consumers, the Board had decided not to give
their approval to the scheme of amalgamation.
In connection with this subject, it is scarcely too much to say
that had the local authorities created by the Metropolis Local
Management Act of 1855 been in existence in the early days of
Gas and Water legislation, the saving to consumers, by a careful
watchfulness such as is now exercised over the powers sought by
the companies at various times, would probably at a moderate
estimate have amounted to hundreds of thousands of pounds.