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3
ADDENDUM.
Having regard to the discussion which took place on the above report
on Friday evening last, the Committee desires to add the following for
the information of the members of the Vestry.—
Forty-two years is specified by s. 2 of the Electric Lighting
Act, 1888, as the shortest time after the date of the
Order within which the Local Authority may require the
undertakers to sell, unless a shorter time is specified in the
Provisional Order or Special Act. No shorter time is specified
by either of the Orders referred to in the Report, nor does the
Committee think there would be any likelihood of obtaining
the specification of a shorter time, since it is well known that
the time referred to was inserted in the Act of 1888 after
very grave consideration by the Government of the difficulties
the Companies had to meet.
As to the question of a monopoly being acquired if the
Vestry consent to either Order, such as would interfere with
the Local Authority or any other Company or even a private
individual lighting a portion of the same area as is included
in the order, the Committee would point out that no legal
monopoly can be created. A practical monopoly may indeed
to some extent result to the Company which is first
in the field especially if it serves the public well,
but this is in no way peculiar to an Electric Lighting
undertaking. It must also be remembered that no private
person can break up or lay wires over the Public Streets
except under the authority of a Licence or Provisional Order,
and that without these powers the area he can supply must
necessarily be very limited.
The draft Orders which are the subject of the report have
only been obtainable within the last few weeks, therefore the
Committee could hardly have brought up their report sooner.