The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-09-11 00:00:00

rate of charge on large and small consumers, instead of a dif-
ferential one in favour of the former.
Mr. Robertston Gladstone said he thought the Guardian
Society was right in the principle of insisting that all con-
sumers should be charged alike for the quantities they rela-
tively consumed. Any discount in favour of the large con-
sumer could only be made at the expense of the poor.
Mr. Reay explained that the differential system, alluded to
by Mr. Mac Fie, had been found inconvenient and unjust, and
had accordingly been given up.
Mr. Mac Fie next explained his conviction that great incon-
venience and no small amount of danger was incurred through
the rash and inconsiderate way in which the pressure was put
upon the gas at the principal reservoirs. He then repeated his
disinclination to make any charge against the Gas Company.
Mr. Henry Thredder, tobacconist, 14, Paradise-street,
stated his conviction that the illuminating power of the gas
had been much deteriorated within the last few years up to
about three weeks ago. He complained of having experienced
incivility from the servants of the Gas Company. He also
considered the charges made for fittings and repairs by the
company were exorbitant. The exaction of deposits for meters
he considered iniquitous. In his own case, the company had
exacted £3 155., as a deposit, and it was years before he could
obtain restitution for it ; which he was only able to accomplish
by deducting £1 from his gas payments quarterly.
Mr. John Rumsay, tin-plate-worker, 7, Derby-street, stated
that besides the premises he occupied in Derby-street, he had
two shops in the bazaar; in one of the latter he did not burn
gas, and had paid for the other. Notwithstanding this, the
company demanded a quarter's gas-rent of him, and threat-
ened, if he did not pay it, to cut off the, supply from his
Derby-street premises. This demand he refused to comply
with, and the matter remained in abeyance.
Mr. Thomas Green, druggist, Wavertree-road, complained
that although he had not increased his rate or time of burn-
ing, his gas bills had materially increased in amount since
the nominal reduction of the gas. For a period during
which he had to pay 13s. 2d. he was now charged £1 12s. 4d.
He also complained of the overcharges made by the Gas Com-
pany for the services of their fitters. He was of opinion that
the public would receive benefit by a separation of the fitting
department from the gas supply.
Mr. Thomas Corkhill, upholsterer, of Brunswick-road, com-
plained that the gas had deteriorated in quality since the
amalgamation of the two companies. He likewise complained
of the exorbitant charges made for the rent of meters, and
also of neglect on the part of the company in attending to
complaints. In his own case he had experienced this diffi-
culty. When his gas apparatus was out of order, he had sent
to the company's offices to get the matter set right, which
they had omitted to do, and his men were consequently thrown
idle, to his loss and inconvenience. If permitted to give an
opinion, he should state that the arbitrary demand of the
company of a deposit of from Bs. to 10s. for each meter, was a
great hardship on the poor. He might also mention that, in
some instances which he knew of, the company refused to give
a supply of gas to a new tenant, because the former one had
run away in their debt, unless the new comer paid the arrears
due by his defaulting predecessor.
31r. Wm. Jones, 19, Berry-street, said he complained of the
charges for men's time. They came and went when they liked,
and referred all enquiries to the gas office, where little satis-
factory information was to be had.
Mr. Thomas Quayle, 46, Mill-street, complained that since
the reduction in price his bills had increased. From April 'to
July, 1854, his bill was £1 2s. Bd.; ditto, 1855, £lss. ld. From
July to April, 1854, £2 7s. sd. ; same period, 1855, £2 17s. 6d.
He also complained of his wife having been insulted by 'the
company's officers when she called to make complaint.
Mr. 'William Aikin, 41, Great Charlotte-street, said he had
felt satisfied that he was paying for more gas than he consumed.
His quarterly bills had increased. In December, 1848, it was
£1 13s. 3d.; in December, 1854, it was £3 lls. 3d., with gas at
the same price, namely 4s. 6d. His yearly bills had gradually
imcreased. For 1852 they amounted to £5 9s. 5d.; in 1853,
£6 15s. Bd.; and 1854, £7 Bs. 6d. But the greatest discrepancy
of all was this : —ln the six months ending June, 1854, his bill
was £2 19s. Bd.; same time, 1855, £3 16s. 7d. In reply to
Mr. Evans, he said the gas had been of a better quality during
the last month.
Mr. James R. Jeffery, (Jeffery, Morrish, and Co., Compton
House,) said, he had been a consmer for the last twenty years.
Complained of an increase in his bills since the reduction in
price. From the 11th of January to the 17th April, 1854,
the amount at 4s. 6d. per thousand feet was £67 9s. 2d.
From the 26th December, 1854, to the 4th April, 1855,
£7B Os. 11d. His bill for the quarter ending July 4th, 1854,
was £3B 18s. sd. ; same period 1855, £44 16s. 4d. He did
not see why the company should be allowed to charge for
meters. Every other tradesman who sold by measure had to
provide his own measure. He complained that the meter
testers of 'the company did not agree in their results, when
testing meters in their (Messrs. Jeffery and Co.'s) establish-
ment. He thought the {proposed supervisor should be per-
fectly independent of the company. He had found the com-
pany's officers attentive and courteous, except on one occasion.
He thought the charges of the company for fittings were ex-
cessivefy high ; the result of the monopoly which the com-
pany secured by being gas fitters. If they continued to be
so, he thought that a separate account of profits should
be kept for that department, as apart from the profits they
derived simply as manufacturers -of gas. He had been much
struck with the remarkable increase in the illuminating power
-of the gar simultaneous with the •appearance of the gentle.
man brought to town by the Corporation (Mr. Clegg) to test
the gas meters. It was quite a mistake, he thought, to sup-
pose that a second company would be any competition at all.
He thought the present company might supply gas to the
borough at 3s. per thousand with profit to themselves and ad-
vantage to the consumer. When getting up the Guardian
Gas Company, they had calculated that, even with the less
consumption which they could have hoped to secure, they
would be able to supply gas at 3s. 2d., with a good margin for
profit.
Mr. Evans here made a few remarks, to the effect that he
considered the points proved were that, although there had
been an apparent reduction in the-price of gas, the charge to
the consumer had considerably increased —that irregularity
in the meters had been shown to exist, and that it had proved
that the present company could be worked more economically.
Mr. Jeffery made some observations with a view of showing
that it was advisable to move at once in the matter, for what
might be advisable to the consumers to do now, might not be
advisable in twelve months 'hence, if the:company laid out any
further amount of capital.
Mr. John Carter, 26, Redcross-street, complained that the
quality of the gas had deteriorated, and increase of the bills.
His bill for June 1854 had been £1 is. Bd.; June 1855, al-
though there had been a reduction in price, and no more
burners employed, £1 3s. He had always found that other
people put up fittings quite -as good, and much cheaper than
the company.
Mr. John Richmond, 3, Paradise-street, complained of a
-deficient suply, and increaseof charges. His bills from March
to June, 1854, charged him for a consumption of 168,000 feet
of gas ; for the same period of 1855, 198,000 feet, an increase
of 15 per cent„ although he had in the meantime reduced
many of his bnrners in size from twelves to fours. His bills
from December to March, 1854, were £l3 Os. 2d. ; 1855,
£l3 18s. 6d.
Mr. Henry Hook, 24, London-road, complained of a defi-
cient supply, especially on Saturday evenings.
Mr. John 'Cripps, of Bold-sireet, sent a statement, according
to which, his bills for the second quarter (ending July) of 1854
were £2 2s. Bd. ; 1855, £3 10s. Od., an increase which he
was totally at a loss to account for.—Mr. J. Mackenzie sent a
communication to show that the increase in his gas charges
had been 32 per cent.—Mr. Charles Inman, of Everton, wrote
to the committee, that the quality of the gas was much dete-
riorated of late, and that he was compelled to have his ceilings
newly coloured every year in consequence. The supply he
had found sufficient. For the year 1842, with gas at 7s. per
thousand feet, his bill was £5 Is. 5d.; for 1852, with gas at
4s. 6d., it was £9 Is. 6d., to his great astonishment, for he
was not aware of any change in his consumption. He was in
favour of an inspector of meters being appointed.
This was the last witness examined, and the chairman said
that he had received the following letter from Mr. Flintoff in
reply to a letter read from Mr. Barlow at the last meeting :
TO JOSEPH KITCHEN, ESQ., CHAIRMAN OF THE OAS COM-

NUTTER: TOWN-HALL, LIVERPOOL.
Sir,—ln the report of the proceedings of the gas committee of
the Town Council, printed in the newspapers of this day, a letter
appears from Mr. T. G. Barlow, calculated to mislead the public
as to my evidence, printed on the 21st ultimo, and I ask, in com-
mon fairness, to be allowed to give the following explanation
I stated that, since the amalgamation of the two'gas companies,
lin2;pB4eBr,ctelinet.g.
aasndinthLati Liverpool had
loss
su s
tbaeiennedreduced in
public
about
source alone amounted to about 4,"92j803 17ys. 21edp.0 Ilperorvoemd this
.evidar. ow,in the. company's own
printed report of 1854, and the
from the observations of Mr B
on the Guardian Gas Bills, in 1847encr begr King. Its engineer,
your committee to these documents,. 'which respectfully to refer
.assertions as to the illuminating
power
e?,
the Liverpool
the truth of my
In 1847, Mr. King states, that the gas' suppliedr Oyigaabs.un e
consuming 4 feet per hour produced lights equal to 20 and 10-12t1h;
of a wax candle consuming 143 grains per hour.
In 1854, Mr. Barlow's observations show that the light from a
similar burner was equal to 20 and 10 decimals of a candle con-
suming only 120 grains per hour, or 23 grains per candle less
than those used by Mr. King; so that the burner in 1354 pro-
duced light equal to 2,653 grains of wax, while a similar burner
in 1847 gave light equal to 2,979 grains of wax, or, as I stated in
evidence, about 12i per cent. more light than we get now.
I feel sorry that I should be driven, through Mr. Barlow's
attempt to impugn my evidence, to trouble the committee with
these explanations, and hope that the motives of that gentleman
will be rightly understood, when I state that he is the editor of a
monthly publication, issued to gloss over the defects of existing
gas companies, against whom I have an action for libel now
pending.
I much regret that my evidence, as furnished to the newspa-
pers, on the 21st ult., was so incomplete; and still more, that a
series of questions calculated to elucidate all the facts known in
connection with lighting Liverpool with gas, placed in the hands
of Mr. Reay, were, for some reason unknown to myself and the
committee, omitted altogether.—l am, sir, yours most respectfully,
GEO. FLINTOFF.

Gas Engineering-office, 4. Clayton-square,
September 8, 1855.

Mr. Reay said he must deny the assertion contained in the
last paragraph of the letter, as he only received " the lot of
evidence" referred to, ten minutes before he entered the
room, and as he had not read it, it was not likely that he was
going to examine Mr. Flintoff on it.
The Court adjourned at a quarter to five o'clock, after
making four hours' sitting. The attendance was very meagre
throughout the afternoon, and for the last hour and a half
consisted only of the chairman (Mr. Kitchen) and one mem-
ber, Mr. Crosthwaite. It was understood that the Committee
would meet again on Thursday.

THE GIPSEY BRIDE AND THE ROYAL A3IPHITHEATRE.—
We understand that arrangements have been made by the
passengers and crew of the Australian packet Gipsey Bride,
about to proceed on her second voyage, to patronise the Royal
Amphitheatre to-morrow night. As the idea is quite new to
Liverpool, or indeed to any other town in the kingdom, and
as a meeting of this kind between passengers and crew is cal-
culated to raise a kind feeling among them in the course of
the voyage, we have no doubt that there will be a crowded
house.

A FooLisn OLD MAN.—Mary Lambert, a widow with two
young children, was brought up at the Police-court yesterday,
charged with being concerned in a robbery of £3O. William
Jones, an old man, who stated that he was a rigger employed
on the Australian ship Gipsey Bride, said he went into a
grocery cellar kept by the prisoner in Slate-street, out of
Great Howard-street, on Sunday afternoon. He had £3O in
gold with him when he went in, and, at the request of the
prisoner and another woman not in custody, he sent for
three noggins" of whiskey. The drink took effect on him,
he fell asleep in the chair and when he awoke, he was alone
in the cellar, and all his money gone. Information was
given to the police, and an officer went in, but found the
place deserted and all in darkness. He waited for some time,
obtained the assistance of another officer, and then went
again, when they apprehended the prisoner and her children,
and found a sovereign on the floor, under a bed. No other
money was found, and at the request of Superintendent
Clough the ease was adjourned for a week. The officer stated
that a person wag rql*ed of r 3 in the same den a fortnight
ago,