View report page

58
be the same to consumers north and south of the Thames
for fittings of the same quality and capacity, and that the
prices charged by all the companies for these slot meters
and fittings require regulation, having regard to the fact
that the business is a now one, and has extended with
extraordinary rapidity throughout the Metropolis.
(4) That capital powers should not be granted to any gas
company for more than five years, if and when new
capital is required, and that Parliament should revise the
sliding scale, either by way of increase or decrease, when
any application for new capital is made, if the circumstances
of the times or the conditions of the company
appear to require it.
(5) That an effort should be made by any company having
obsolete or unproductive capital to redeem such capital by
sinking fund or otherwise.
On the 12th October the Vestry passed the
following resolution on the subject:—
"That the Right Hon. A. J. Balfour, P.C., M.P., First
Lord of the Treasury, be asked to take such steps as may
be necessary to put into operation the new sliding scale as
recommended by the Select Committee of the House of
Commons on Metropolitan Gas Companies, at once, instead
of waiting until the Gas Light and Coke Co. apply to Parliament
for powers to increase its capital"; and
"That a copy of the foregoing resolution be sent to all the
Vestries and District Boards north of the Thames, and that
they be asked to support the action of this Vestry in the
matter."
Ropes Across Footways.—The attention of the
Vestry was called by Mr. Beard to this matter,
when a resolution was passed to ask the County
Council to take such action as may be necessary to
make it compulsory, in all cases of public-houses
which are pulled down and rebuilt, that provision
be made for lowering and lifting the barrels, &c.,
into the cellars by means of hydraulic power, or
other means, with a view to abolishing the use of
ropes across the footway, and also that a circular