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39
In every case the supply of electricity, whether by a Company or by a local
authority, should be under statutory obligations as well as statutory powers, by means
of a Bill, a Provisional Order, or a licence.
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There is no objection to the granting of a large area of supply to any Company
which shows that it has sufficient capital and is capable of coping with the
demand. On the contrary, a large and rich Company is likely to be the best and most
economically managed concern; to be able, by working over a large and scattered area,
to develop the demand for the light, and by rapidly increasing its business to be the
sooner in a position to reduce the price of the article supplied.
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In the abstract, competition is desirable, as tending to keep down the price,
and to cause the manufacture and supply of Electricity to be carried on with all the
attention and energy which it is possible to devote to it.
In cases where two or more Companies have obtained the assent of the local
authority, the following facts must not be lost sight of.
1st. That the laying of the mains of several companies up one street
means so much dead capital, and moreover, the provision of a certain amount
of useless material, which the local authority would have to pay for if it
should decide to purchase the undertakings after the lapse of 42 years.
2nd. That, no matter what regulations or stipulations may be made as
to the laying of mains, the interference with the streets, and the consequent
inconvenience to the public must be in a certain degree proportionate to the
number of Companies having powers over these streets.
For these reasons, I am of opinion, that, for the present, powers should not be
given to more than two companies over the same area, and inasmuch as the companies
supplying under the alternating current and transformer system cannot supply electric
energy capable of use for motors, that both these two companies should not be those
using this system.
In order, therefore, to leave room for the entrance of a direct supply company
into an area where two alternating current transformer companies have been assented
to, it will be necessary to choose one only of these Companies, and this will lead to a
certain amount of districting.
In July, 1889, notices were served upon the Vestry by The London
Electric Supply Corporation, The Metropolitan Electric Supply Company,
The House to House Electric Supply Company, and by Mr. Sydney
Morse on behalf of the Brush Electrical Engineering Company, of their
intention to apply in the ensuing session for Provisional Orders to
authorise the supply of electricity in the parish; but the applications
of the two first named companies were subsequently abandoned.
The draft Provisional Orders of the House to House Company and
the Brush Electrical Engineering Company were referred to a special
Committee, a copy of which Committee's report will be found in the