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48
On the 28th March, 1898, when the following resolutions
were passed:—
1. That in the opinion of this Conference of Delegates
from Vestries and District Boards within the area of
supply of the Gas Light and Coke Company, the time
has arrived when a Board of Trade enquiry should be
held into the past and present management and working
of the Gas Light and Coke Company, their existing
statutory rights and the past results, financial
and general, of the statutory sliding scale of price and
dividend, with a view to putting an end to the existing
anomaly whereby gas consumers on the north side of
the Thames have to pay 3s. per 1,000 feet as against
2s. 3d. per 1,000 feet charged on the south side.
2. That as the conversion and consolidation of the Company's
stocks and the making of certain of such new
stocks into Trustees' stocks under the Bill now before
Parliament would enhance the Stock Exchange value of
the Company's undertaking by a very large sum, the
Conference is of opinion that Parliament should refuse
to pass the Bill unless the Company make some substantial
concession to the consumers in the form of a
reduction in the price of gas.
3. That the London County Council be asked to make
every effort to oppose the Bill unless such concession is
made.
4. That, in the opinion of the Conference, it is desirable
that public meetings of gas consumers be called in each
of the Parishes affected to support the local authorities
in the action they are taking, and also that they should
request their representatives in Parliament, and on the
London County Council, to use their utmost effort to
assist the object for which the Conference has been
called.
5. That a copy of the foregoing resolutions be sent to the
President of the Board of Trade, to all the Vestries and
District Boards north of the Thames, and to all the
Metropolitan Members of Parliament, and that they
be requested to support same.
The Vestry also received a letter from the Holborn
District Board, forwarding resolutions passed
at a meeting of the Joint Committees of