quate in quantity and regularity to meet the present and prospective demands of their consumers at a cost not greater than that at which they could give such a supply if they obtained the supply from those specified undertakers.

ELECTRICITY COMMISSIONERS TO BE SANCTIONING AUTHORITY FOR LOANS.-Section 20 of the 1919 Act makes the Electricity Commissioners the authority for sanctioning the borrowing of money by local authorities for electricity purposes under the Electric Lighting Acts and special Acts.

WAYLEAVES FOR ELECTRIC LINES.-Section 22 confers upon joint electricity authorities, and also upon any authorised undertakers, wider powers of laying electric lines on private lands than those previously enjoyed by undertakers under the Electric Lighting Acts. Subject to the qualifications that follow, lines may be laid below ground across any land, and above ground across any land not covered by buildings, or used as a garden or pleasure ground, where the placing of such lines above ground is otherwise lawful. The qualifications include provision that notice of intention to lay the lines shall be served on the owner and occupier of the land, and, if within 21 days the owner and occupier fail to consent, or attach to their consent any terms, conditions, or stipulations, to which the joint authority or undertakers object, the line may not be laid without the consent of the Minister of Transport. The Minister may, after hearing the parties concerned, impose any terms, conditions or stipulations (including the carrying of any portion of the line underground), and, in giving his decision is to have regard to the effect on the amenities or value of the land. When an electric line has been placed across any land under this power, the undertakers may enter on the land for repairing or altering it. The section lays down various special conditions and protective safeguards that are to be observed where the power is exercised for the purpose of laying an electric line either across or along any railway, canal, inland navigation, dock or harbour.

LETTING OF FITTINGS, ETC.-Section 23 empowers a

joint electricity authority or any local authority, having electricity powers under special Act or order, to let electric fittings on hire. They may provide, and let for hire, and for that purpose connect, repair, maintain and remove (but not manufacture or sell, unless specially so authorised by their Act or Order) electric lines, fittings, apparatus and appliances for lighting, heating, and motive power and all other purposes for which electricity can or may be used, and with respect thereto may demand and take such remuneration or rents and charges, and make such terms and conditions, as may be agreed upon. Any electric lines, fittings, apparatus, and appliances provided by or on behalf of any authorised distributors on consumers' premises, either before or after the passing of the Act, and any lands, buildings, or works held by them in connection therewith are to form part of the undertaking authorised by their special Act or Order.

ALTERATION OF TYPE OF CURRENT, ETC.-Section 24 empowers the Electricity Commissioners to require any authorised undertakers to amend or alter the type of current, frequency, or pressure employed by them in their undertaking. This power, however, is not to apply to electricity generated at a railway generating station existing at the passing of the Act, and if, on appeal by any authorised undertakers, the Ministry of Transport are satisfied that compliance with the order would entail unreasonable expense, the Ministry may direct that the order shall not apply to those undertakers, or shall apply to them only subject to certain conditions.

GRANT OF POWERS BY SPECIAL ORDERS.-Section 26 provides that anything which, under the earlier Electric Lighting Acts, might be effected by a provisional order confirmed by Parliament may now be effected by a special order, made by the Electricity Commissioners, and confirmed by the Ministry of Transport, or by an order establishing a joint electricity authority. A special order made under this section has to be laid before each House of Parliament, and does not come into force unless and until approved, either with or without modifications, by a resolu

tion passed by each House. A special order or an order establishing a joint electricity authority may amend or revoke a provisional order previously made under the Electric Lighting Acts and confirmed by Parliament.

ACCOUNTS AND RETURNS.-Section 27 empowers the Electricity Commissioners to require accounts, statistics, and returns from joint electricity authorities and authorised undertakers.

Section 28 requires a joint authority to submit annually to the Commissioners a statement of their accounts, and a report of their proceedings, and to have their accounts audited by auditors appointed by the Commissioners, and in accordance with regulations made by the Commissioners. APPORTIONMENT OF EXPENSES OF COMMISSIONERS.Section 29 requires the Commissioners, at the beginning of each financial year, to prepare a budget of their expenses and receipts for the year, and submit it for approval by the Ministry of Transport. The excess of estimated expenses over estimated receipts is to be apportioned by the Commissioners among, and paid to the Commissioners by, the joint electricity authorities and authorised undertakers within the United Kingdom. The section originally provided that the apportionment should be based on the number of units of electricity generated by or on behalf of those authorities and undertakers in the preceding year. This has however now been altered by section 7 of the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1922, which provides that any apportionment subsequent to the financial year current at the passing of that Act shall be based on the number of units of electricity sold by each joint authority or authorised undertaker within Great Britain in the year ending the 31st day of December next preceding that for which the apportionment is made. The expression " units of electricity sold" is defined as meaning all units generated or purchased by a joint electricity authority or authorised undertaker less (a) those used in the generating station, (b) those lost in transmission or distribution, and (c) those sold in bulk to authorised undertakers. Every joint authority and authorised undertaker is required to furnish

to the Electricity Commissioners, not later than March 1st in each year, a statement of the number of units so sold by them. Power is given to the Commissioners to revise an apportionment after it has been made.

SUBSCRIPTIONS TO ASSOCIATIONS.-Section 30 enables joint authorities and authorised undertakers, with the consent of the Commissioners, to pay subscriptions to associations dealing with electrical matters, and the expenses of their members and officers attending conferences or meetings of such associations.

CONSPIRACY AND PROTECTION OF PROPERTY ACT, 1875.— Section 31 makes applicable to persons employed by joint authorities and authorised undertakers in the supply of electricity, section 4 of the Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act, 1875, which relates to breaches of contract by persons employed in the supply of gas or water, and has been referred to in an earlier lecture.

CERTAIN AGREEMENTS AUTHORISED, AND CERTAIN Orders to be Special Orders.-Section 32 provides that where, under the Act, a joint electricity authority is authorised to enter into an agreement or arrangement with any authorised undertakers or any other parties, such other parties shall also have power to enter into it.

Sub-section (3) of the same section (sec. 32) refers to any provisions contained in other sections of the Act which sanction the making of orders conferring powers on joint electricity authorities or authorised undertakers or other persons. It directs that in such cases, if the powers to be conferred include powers of breaking up streets, railways, and tramways, other than such as can be broken up under any order or special Act relating to the joint authority or undertakers, the order conferring the powers, unless it is an order, under section 7, confirming a scheme for the organisation of an electricity district, shall be a special order, and thus require to be laid before each House of Parliament under section 35, if it does not require the approval of each House of Parliament under section 26, and it shall apply or incorporate the provisions of the Electric Lighting Acts and the Electric Lighting (Clauses)

Act, 1899, relating to the breaking up of streets, railways, and tramways. This provision would affect, for example, the power conferred under section 19 for breaking up roads, railways and tramways in connection with an arrangement for mutual assistance between different undertakers.

INQUIRIES BY COMMISSIONERS.-Section 33 gives power to the Electricity Commissioners to hold, or to cause to be held, inquiries for the purposes of the Act. They may require the attendance of witnesses, and the production of documents, at such inquiries, and the giving of evidence on oath.

RULES.-Section 34 empowers the Ministry of Transport and the Electricity Commissioners respectively to make rules in relation to applications and other proceedings before them under the Act and the holding of inquiries.

SPECIAL ORDER PROCEDURE.-Section 35 provides that special orders made by the Electricity Commissioners under the Act shall not have any effect unless and until confirmed by the Minister of Transport. The procedure set forth in a schedule to the Act is to be followed by the Minister in relation to the confirmation of a special order. Except in the case of those orders for which express approval by a resolution of each House of Parliament is required, a special order, before it comes into force, is to be laid before each House of Parliament for a period not less than 30 days during which that House is sitting, and if either House, within the 30 days, presents an address to His Majesty against the order, or any part thereof, no further proceedings are to be taken thereon; but this is to be without prejudice to the making of any new order. A special order, when duly made and confirmed, is to have effect as if enacted in the Act.

Electricity (Supply) Act, 1922. The Electricity (Supply) Act, 1922, consists largely of provisions supplementing and amending the Act of 1919, and particularly with regard to the powers of joint electricity authorities. BORROWING BY JOINT AUTHORITIES.-Section I empowers such authorities to borrow money. The scheme constituting the authority is to fix, with reference to the estimated

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