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"Corporation have the power under their Electric Lighting Act to
"charge 8d. for so much electricity. If they charged that price it
"would be equal to gas at 4s. per 1,000 feet; but if they only charged
"7d. it would be reduced to 3s. 6d., as against the present 2s. 9d., or
"about a quarter more."
Messrs. Williams & King, in their hand-book on " The Distribution
of Electricity for Public Supply," deal with the comparative cost of gas
and electricity as follows:—"Owing to the difficulty in obtaining the
"exact effective light derivable from an ordinary ' five foot' gas burner
"as usually employed with glass globe to hide fluctuation and the
"effects of draughts, there has been some divergence of opinion in
"calculating the comparison between a 'unit' of electricity and
"a 'thousand cubic feet' of gas. Electrical experts now, however,
"generally take it that one 10 c.p. electric lamp efficiently replaces
"a 'five foot' flat flame gas burner. On this basis the following rule
" may be usefully applied:—
" 'Light for light' one unit of electricity multiplied by
"8 = the price of gas per 1,000 cubic feet.
"Thus, supposing that the price of electricity in a certain district is
"8d. per unit, this would be equivalent to the cost of gas at 5s. 4d.
"per 1,000 cubic feet; or, again, supposing gas in a certain town is
"3s. per 1,000 cubic feet, electricity would have to be rated at 4½d.
"per unit in order to be on the same commercial footing 'Light for
"light.'"
Other opinions could be given, but your Committee feels that
the foregoing statements will be adequate to enable the Vestry to
approximately gauge the difference in the cost of gas and electricity
to the private consumer. Considerable stress is often laid on the
fact that the incandescent lamp now in general use has but a " short
life," and that the renewal of these lamps involves a somewhat heavy
expenditure. As, however, the patent of these lamps expires this
year, it is anticipated that they will shortly be obtained at 9d. or 1s.
each, instead of 3s. 6d., their present price. Your Committee thinks
that 25 per cent, above the price of gas as at present charged in