The Sun.
London, England, 1862-11-13 00:00:00

CIIY SEW_EBS COMMISSION,

Yesterday, at noon, a special meeting of the
members of this commission was held at Guildhall,
under the presidency-Of Mr. H. de Jersey. Among
the commissioners present were Deputies Obbard,
Elliott, Read, Pewtress; Cork, and Butler; Messrs..
George Walter, J. T__Young, Matthew Green,
Alcock, C. Young, Houghton, Croucher, Israel, &c.
The business for •which the meeting was specially
summoned was " to ieceivea report from the Gene-
ral Purposes Committee, on the reference of the 4th
November inst., as to the bill Stated- to be about to
be in, roduced by the Great Central Gas Consumers'
Company, and on the question whether the commis-
sioners
to that nersshould give notices to introduce a bill, simi-
lar of last session, for amending the Gas
Acts, .1860."

The minutes of the last meeting were read by the
assistant-clerk, and passed as having been correctly
transcribed:

After the despatch of some formal business, -
Mr. Dew, the principal clerk, announced the ob-
ject of the special meeting.
The CHAIRMAN said it would no doubt be in the
recollection of the membersmf the Court, .that the
Great Central Gas Consumers' Company introduced
into Parliament a bill last year to remove cer-
tain doubts that had arisen ao whether. the
City of London was included iii- the' provisions
of the Metropolis Gas Act of 1860, inasmuch as under
that act the company considered themselves justified
in charging 4s. 6d. per 1,000 feet of gas, instead of
4s. The Commissioners, on the other hand, con-
tended that the act did not apply, and they intro-
duced a bill to exempt the City. Both bills were,
however, later in the year, withdrawn ; but the
Great Central Gas Company, however, now proposed
to reintroduce their bill during the next session of
Parliament. The qaestion as to whether the City
was included in and subject to the provisions of the
Metropolis Gas Act of, 1860 was now, before the
Court of Error, and if the Commissioners succeeded
in getting the judgment of that court in their fa-
vour, they would then have a good locus standi in
opposing the Great Central Gas Company's Bill be-
fore a committee of the House of Commons. The
General Purposes Committee, to whom this .matter
had been referred; had carefully gone into the mat-
ter, and they were of opinion it would be better to
wait until the decision of the, Court of Error was
made known before any further proceedings were
taken by the Commission. It was, however, for the
Commissioners to say what should be done, and that
special meeting hat? been called for the, purpose. If,
however, they decidekto reintroduce their bill of
the last session of Parliament, it would be necessary
at once to do so, as that was the last day upon which
the necessary notices could be given.
The Principal Clerk then read the report of the
General Purposes Committee. It was as follows :
" To the Tionourable the Commissioners of Sewers of the
City of London.

" We, whose names are hereunto set, your committee on
General Purposes Committee, to whom, on the 4th Novem-
ber inst., it was referred to consider the question of a bill
stated to be about to be introduced into Parliament in the
next session by the Great Central Gas Consumers Company,
and to take such steps thereon as we may be advised, and to
report ; do certify that we met together and have been at-
tended by Mr. Remembrancer ; and, after hearing him, and
considering that the question at issue between the Commis-
sioners and the said company is at present before the Court
of Error, and will be decided about the end of this month;
and, having also had our attention drawn to the question
whether the Commissioners should introduce a bill into Par-
liament to amend the Gas Act, 1860, similar to that intro-
duced by the Commissioners in last session, but subse-
quently withdrawn; we think, under all the circumstances,
that it is not expedient to do so, but that your honourable
Court should rather await the result of the appeal, and act
thereupon as the case might require. Nevertheless, should
your honourable Court not agree with us, but consider it
advisable to re-introduce your own bill into Parliament,
this being the last day on which notices can be given, we
directed the clerk to call this special Court for the purpose
of considering the same,

" All which_ we submit, &c ,
(Signed) " H. VilEasEr,--Ctairman.
" R. OnuAnn, J. TONKIN YOUNG.
"L. HOUGHTON, THOS. PEWTHESS.",
After a brief conversation the report was put and
agreed to.
The Court then adjourned.