Board may make the order either without modification, or subject to such modification as they think fit, or may refuse to make the order.

Section 10 further provides that, before any such special order is made, it shall be laid in draft before both Houses of Parliament, and it shall not be made unless both Houses, by resolution, approve the draft, either without modification or addition, or with modifications or additions to which both Houses agree. Upon such approval being given, the Board may make the order in the form in which it has been approved, and, on being so made, it shall be of full force and effect. For the purposes of any Act of Parliament, whether passed before or after this Act, which refers directly or indirectly to a special Act conferring powers on gas undertakers, a special order under this Act is to be deemed to be a special Act.

Gas Supply Powers under Public Health Act, 1875. -I must now refer to the general powers with which local authorities are invested under the Public Health Act, 1875, with respect to gas supply.

Section 161 provides that any urban authority may contract with any person for the supply of gas or other means of lighting the streets, markets, and public buildings in their district, and may provide such lamps, lamp-posts, and other materials and apparatus as they may think necessary for lighting the same. Although this power is only conferred by the section on urban authorities the Minister of Health has certain general powers, under section 276 of the Act, of investing rural district councils with powers conferred by the Act on urban authorities. Such a declaration may relate to the whole rural district, or to a contributory place therein. The Ministry have in many cases thus granted powers, under section 276, enabling rural authorities to contract for the lighting of streets and public places in rural parishes.

Section 161 goes on to provide that, where there is not any company or person (other than the urban authority) authorised by or in pursuance of any Act of Parliament, or any order confirmed by Parliament, to supply gas for

public and private purposes, supplying gas within any part of the district of such authority, such authority may themselves undertake to supply gas for such purposes, or any of them, throughout the whole or any part of their district; and, if there is any such company or person so supplying gas, but the limits of supply of such company or person include part only of the district, then the urban authority may themselves undertake to supply gas throughout any part of the district not included within such limits of supply.

Section 161 further provides that an urban authority who are thus at liberty to undertake the supply of gas for the whole or any part of their district may obtain a provisional order authorising a gas undertaking under the Gas and Water Works Facilities Act, 1870. (This would now be a special order under section 10 of the Gas Regulation Act, 1920.)

Under section 162 any urban authority, for the purpose of supplying gas within their district, or any part thereof, either for public or private purposes, may (with the sanction of the Ministry of Health) buy, and the directors of any gas company in pursuance of such a resolution of the members of the company as is mentioned in the section, may sell and transfer to the authority, on such terms as may be agreed, all the rights, powers, and privileges, and all or any of the lands, premises, works, and other property of the company, but subject to all liabilities attached to the same at the time of such purchase.

Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act, 1875.— The Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act, 1875, makes the same provision in relation to gas supply as has already been mentioned in relation to water supply, for penalising the wilful and malicious breach of contracts of service so as to deprive customers of their supply.

Provisions in Special Acts. It remains now to refer to various provisions inserted in special Acts of gas undertakers. In the first place I will mention some that are included as a matter of common practice.

AS TO EQUALITY OF CHARGES.-The Gasworks Clauses Acts place no obligation on the undertakers to give equality

of treatment to all consumers in the matter of the rate of charge. It is usual now in special Acts to alter the position of the undertakers in this respect. Usually, in incorporating the Gasworks Clauses Act, 1847, section 13, which empowers the undertakers to contract for lighting premises or supplying them with gas, is varied by adding at the end the words "Provided also that every such contract entered into by the Company shall be alike in terms and amount under like circumstances to all consumers." In some cases, where this variation has not been made, a section has been inserted in the special Act to allow the undertakers to give discounts or rebates to consumers in consideration of prompt payment or large consumption, or both, a maximum rate of discount being usually prescribed of 10 per cent. for prompt payment, and 15 per cent. for large consumption. Where such a section is inserted, it is qualified by a proviso to the effect that all discounts or rebates shall be of equal amount under like circumstances to all consumers.

AS TO PREPAYMENT METER SUPPLIES.-A section is usually inserted for prescribing the charges to be made for gas supplied through a prepayment meter, which is defined as any meter or appliance by which the quantity of gas supplied is regulated according to the amount of money prepaid therefor. The charge for the gas itself may not exceed that for gas supplied through an ordinary meter. An additional sum per therm supplied may be charged to cover the hire of the prepayment meter and fittings to be used therewith, a maximum being prescribed for cases where a cooking stove is included, and a lower maximum where a cooking stove is not included. Where no fittings are included in the hire, but only the prepayment meter itself, the maximum additional charge prescribed is usually a specified sum per therm, or 10 per cent. per annum on the cost of the meter, whichever is the larger. The charges are to include the providing, letting, fixing, repairing, and maintenance of the meters and fittings, or the meters, as the case may be, and the cost of collection and other costs incurred by the undertakers in connection therewith.

AS TO SPECIFICATION OF SERVICE PIPES.-Another

usual clause is one enabling the undertakers to specify the size and material of the pipes, and the fittings of the pipes, which are to be laid by the consumer on his own premises, either in the first instance or on the occasion of any renewal, between the mains of the undertakers and the meter, so far as such pipes and fittings are intended to be covered over. The specifications adopted are to be published, and different specifications may be adopted for different classes of premises, having regard to the probable maximum consumption at any one time. These provisions are designed to prevent the supply being found unsatisfactory by the consumer through the use of pipes of unsuitable size.

AS TO INTEREST ON DEPOSITS, AND LETTING OF FITTINGS. -Among the usual sections there is one requiring the undertakers to pay interest on money which they require a consumer to deposit with them as security for the price or rent of a meter; and another empowering the undertakers to purchase, sell, let for hire, fix, repair, and remove, but not to manufacture, engines, stoves, ranges, pipes and other gas fittings for lighting, motive power, heating, ventilating, cooking or any other purposes, and to provide all materials and work necessary in that behalf, and take such remuneration or rents and charges, and make such terms and conditions, as may be agreed on. Fittings thus let for hire are not to be subject to distress for rent of the premises on which they are placed, or to execution under process of any court or proceedings in bankruptcy against the person in whose possession they may be, provided that they are marked or impressed with a sufficient mark or brand indicating the undertakers as the actual owners thereof. The section usually goes on to provide that the undertakers are so to adjust the charges to be made for any such fittings, or the fixing, repairing, or removal thereof, as to meet any expenditure by them in connection therewith, including interest and sinking fund instalments in respect of borrowed moneys. Every sum charged by the undertakers in respect of the provision, fixing, repairing or removal of the fittings is to be separately stated on the demand note delivered to the consumer. The total expenditure and receipts in

connection with fittings are to be separately shown in the published annual accounts of the undertaking.

AS TO SUPPLY FROM SMALL MAINS.-A section which has become common in recent years is one relieving the undertakers from the obligation of supplying gas for purposes, other than lighting or domestic use, from any main whose capacity is insufficient for the purpose, or if and so long as such supply would, in the opinion of the undertakers, interfere with the sufficiency of the gas required to be supplied by means of that main for lighting or domestic purposes.

AS TO DISCONTINUANCE OF SUPPLIES, USE OF ANTIFLUCTUATORS, BULK SUPPLIES, PATENTS, ETC.-Other common sections are those prescribing the notice to be given to the undertakers by a consumer quitting premises at which he is supplied with gas; providing that the undertakers, in cases where the gas may be cut off owing to default on the part of the occupier, may disconnect the service pipe at the meter, and penalising any person who re-connects the service pipe without consent of the undertakers; requiring an occupier, whose gas has been cut off, to pay the expenses of re-connecting before the undertakers can be required to re-start the supply; enabling the undertakers to refuse to supply a person who has previously left other premises, where he was supplied, without paying all gas charges and meter rent due, and to continue such refusal until the charges are paid; empowering the undertakers to break up the streets, and lay down, repair, take up, relay, or renew mains, pipes, and culverts for the purpose of procuring, conducting, or disposing of, any oil or other materials used by them in, or resulting from, the manufacture of gas or residual products or for any purpose connected with their gas undertaking; authorising the undertakers to require any consumer taking a supply for working a gas engine to fix and use an efficient anti-fluctuator, and keep it in proper order and repair and, in case of default on the part of the consumer, to cease to supply him with gas; empowering the undertakers to contract with any local authority, company or persons for the supply by the