The Express.
London, England, 1868-03-13 00:00:00

THE METROPOLIS GAB BILL.

This morning was published the draft of the bill
brought baby Mr. Morrimo, Mr. Leas, and Mr. Gent, to
amend the Metropolis Cies Act of 1800, and to poke
further ;position for regulating the supply of gam
to the metropolis, and for other purposes
senseeted therewith. The bill ..stain a hundred
clauses. By this bill it is proposed that the Metropolitan
Board of Worth or the Commissioners of Sewers skull

have compulsory power to purchase the undertaking of
any oompany (if notios of such intention be gives within
six months after the passim' of the act), and la cam
of inability to agree to twins, that gentles shall be de-
termined by an arbitrator, to be appointed by t►s Beard
of Trade on the application of either party. The par•
.Lase-money may by agreement " be paid in the foam of or
commuted for an annual sum redeembie or irredomabLe
in perpetuity, or for a term of yam to be eberged
on and issuing out of the undertaking, am sad when par-
aimed orwithoat other sesouity." Thopurshanessoney
is to be raised ea the security of the mastlaking. The
Beard of Works or Commissimen of Semie may also
'take from any of the companies a supply of pm
ia balk, either in perpetuity or for a term
of years, on teems to be agreed upon betweeo the parties,
or in default thereof at the pries fixed upon by the arbi-
trator named by the Board of Trade ; and the pur-
chasers are to have the same power's as the Supply-
ing company over the mains, service pipes, sod
other works neossaary for the proper supply
of Igas to the public. But in them cams the metropolitan
authorities will be held liable for the quality and price of
the gas supplied, just as companies are liable to tOnSILMSTS
who parttime directly from them. The income thus
derived by the Board of Works or commissimen is to be
applied in payment of the expenses of 'tenting
the act, in payment of the interest on loans, and
in aid of rates levied by the commissioners. The

proviatoss of the bill respecting amalgamation
are to apply to shoes only of the companies to
whom notice of intention to purchase Is given within six
months after the passing of the act. The profits
of the companies are still restricted to 10/. par cent. per
annum ; sad Meuse where there may btany acmes over that
amount, the excess is to be applied first of all in makingap
any deficiency then may have been in the last preceding
year .;
apd if there still be any excess it shall be
carried to the divisible profits of the undertaking for the
following year. But any deficiency caused by the pay-
:meg' nut of profits of forfeitures or penalties,
or expenses incurred by accidents, shall not be
deemed such a deficiency as is authorked to
be made up in the following year. It is also pro-
' posed to authorise the Board of Trade to appoint three
men of ptsetkel knowledge and experience as gas referees
who shall prescribe the mode to be adopted for testing
illuminating power of the gas supplied by the companies,
and have authority also to visit the various gssworka, and
investigate the methods of manufacture so as to ascertain
the amount of impurity with which gas supplied by them
is charged. It is, however, expressly declared that the
gas shall be free from all impurity in the form
of sulphuretted hydrogen. The metropolitan authori-
ties shall have power to appoint pm examiners
for the several testing places. The illuminating power of
the gas (except cannel gas), shall, between the 30th
September, 1868, and the Ist January, 1870, be equivalent
to the illuminating power of not less than 14 candles,
and after the latter dote the standard is to be raised to
16 candles The price to be charged by the
several companies from the present time to January, 1870,
is to be 4s. per 1,000 cubic feet up to the standard of 16
candles, except in the case of the Independent and the
South Metropolitan Companies,which are to charge 3a. 4d.;
but after that date the price charged by any
company is not to exceed 3s. 9d. The companies may
in 1871 appeal for a revision of the scale, is which case the
Board of Trade is to be empowered to appoint two com-
missioners for the purpose of hearing the appeal. Penal-
ties may be imposed for defect of illuminating power, and
to( armee of impurity, excepting in eases in which these de-,
facts arise from unavoidable accident. The costs incidental'
to the pending of this act are to be paid by the Metropoli-
tan Board of Works.