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APPENDIX A.
SSaint Leonard, Shoreditch.
RE POET OF THE LAMP COMMITTEE,
For the year ending 31st March, 1879.
Your Committee are now able to present their first Annual
Report in respect to Public Lighting by the Average Meter
System.
It will be in the recollection of the Vestry that after the
amalagmation of the Independent Gas Company with the Gas
Light and Coke Company, the Vestry required the latter company
to enter into a proper contract, under seal, to contain
penalty clauses in case of failure to light, or other default.
This the Company persistently declined to do. and on being
pressed, gave notice to the Vestry to take the gas by meter,
which they had power to do. The Vestry having before them
favorable reports from other important Parishes accepeed the
position, and resolved to adopt the Meter System. After much
consideration by the Lighting Committee (a Sub-Committee of
the Paving and Lighting Committee of last year), they recommended
the acceptance of the tender of Mr. W. Sugg, of
Westminster, for Meters, Governors, &c., and the new system
came into operation on the 1st of April, 1878. Previous to that
time the Gas Company charged at the rate of 4,300 hours per
lamp per year, at an estimated consumption of 5-ft. per hours*
and since Januart, 1877, at 3s. 6d. per 1,000 feet. This would
be for gas per lamp per year, £3 15s. 3d. At the same time
the Company raised the charge for lighting, cleansing and
repairs from 15s. to 18s. per year, making a total charge per
lamp per annum of £4 13s. 3d. The average number of lamps
which have been maintained during the past year is 1,309½,
*There were 60 lumps in the Old Chartered District (south of Worship Street) fitted
with 4-ft. burners, and charged according to the rate adopted by the Chartered Company.
which was in excess of that of the Independent company.