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details, the whole of the suggestions made by the local authorities
should be carefully weighed, and those which are considered
necessary embodied in the model form of Order.
With regard to price, I do not consider that any one district in the
Metropolis should be put in a better position than another.
Taking the area as a whole, it does not appear that it would be wise to
fix a lower maximum than 8d. per unit.
It is true that the London Company is now supplying at 7¼d., and the
maximum in the St. James and Pall Mall Company's licence is
7d., but these Companies are competing in an exceptionally good
area.
There would, however, appear to be a necessity for a reduction of the
high rate for minimum supply, that is the sum which every
customer taking a supply can be called upon to pay, irrespective
of the amount which he has consumed, and which in the Orders
varies between £3 6s. 8d. per quarter in the case of the Notting
Hill Company, and £5 10s. in the case of the Metrrpolitan Company's
South London Order.
The latter Company has consented in the Mid-London and West
London Orders to reduce the minimum to 13s. 4d. per quarter, and
I consider that whatever minimum is fair should be adopted
throughout.
The provision for revision of price after each seven years, in the
agreements between the Metropolitan Company and the Strand and
Marylebone local authorities, seems to me to be somewhat contrary
to the policy of Parliament when dealing with the Electric
Lighting Act. If any such provision be inserted it should be
general; and it would appear to be more fair that the revision
should take the form of a sliding scale upon the basis of a 10 per
cent. dividend, the standard being fixed after the experience
gained by the working of the first seven years.
It has been suggested that in the matter of price the consumer should,
if he elects himself to pay the whole cost of connecting his house
to the mains, have no minimum at all imposed upon him, but,
although I can see no objection to this proposal, such a provision
would hardly be necessary where the minimum is reduced as in
the Metropolitan Orders.
(3.) That in every case the supply of electricity, whether by a
Company or by a local authority, should be under statutory
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