The Express.
London, England, 1866-09-21 00:00:00

COUNT OP COMMON COUNCIL.

TER GAB GIIITITION 121 TBZ CITY.
A special Court of Common Council nos held
yesterday at Oddball, for the purpose of taking into con-
sideration a report of the Special Ou Committee delivered
in at the sitting of the court last week, relating to the
Mortanon. t question of the supply of gas to the citizens of
Alderman Funins presided ma locust genes, for the Lord
Nit_yor.
The report, which extended to considerable length,.and
whisk had been printed, set forth the various proomiduiP
that had been taken by the committee with • view to
break up the monopoly enjoyed by the three gas compa-
nies that at present supply the City with gam, and
to obtain • better, cheaper, and. parer supply
than is at present furnished.! The report stated that
in accordance with the suggestion of the committee of the
House of Commons thatrwisaarointed to investigate the
subject, th had made p to all the existing com-
panies feyor,the purchase oftheir works, and it appeared that
although the answers theyreoeived fromthern were couched
in different terms, they. were all to the same effettednernet
to decline the proposition. The report
court and the public that although the bill the had intim
duced into parliament fee the purpose of enabling the cor-
poration to erect works of their own to supply the City with
gas had been rejected, still their efforts before the
Select Parliamentary gm Committee had led to the side-
factory result of obtaining a report from that committee
which entimiyandoseed the opinion arrived at lose befereby
—the animas of gLondan and the public generally, that the
gas, se at present supplied by the existing coact
wee deficient in quantity, and in parity and ilium
wer, , and of an exorbitant price, and that the late Home
Seeretrry bed expressed his intention of giving instruc-
tions that a bill should be introduced into parliament as
speedily as possible, based upon the report of the cceci-
mines ci the Hones of Commons, and with a view to ree
medy the evils that were complained of. The report also
stated that the committee had been in communication
with the present Home Secretary upon the subject, and
he appeared to be fully inclined to carry out the views of
his predecessor in office, but the committee at the same
time observed that it wee in their opinion very necessary
that the matter should be earnestly pressed upon the ate
tuition of the government, and they therefore moan-
weeded that they should be empowered to continue to
act (and to take such steps in the matter as they might
deem to be expedient.
Mr. J. F. Boirrxme, the chairman of the special commit-
tee, on moving that the report be agreed to by the court,
and that the committee should be empowered to continue
their labours, went at considerable length into the various
proceedings that bad been adopted by them with a view
to carry out the wishes of the court. He regional to the
course that was taken by the select committee of the
House of Commons, and said that notwithstanding _that
committee was not favourably constituted as reprded the
corporation, and the strenuous opposition made by the diffe-
rent gas companies, they were compelled to agree to the re-
port, which must be considered exceedingly satisfactory
to the public with regard to the important object they
bad in view. It wee estimated that the different gas
companies had expended 10,0001. in opposing the proceed-
ings, and the expense incurred by the committee had
been about 8,0001.
A discussion then took place upon the question, but
almost all the speakers were on one wide, namely, in sup-
port of the recommendation of the committee ; end even-
tually the report was agreed to unanimously.
A report was brought up by Deputy Fry, the chairman
of the improvement committee, recommending that • Ft=
of 400,00 W. should be raised upon loan for the purposes ci
the Holborn Valley improvement.
The report was speed to, and the court adjourned.