The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-23 00:00:00

TEE SALE OF GAR BIL 7 s.

The public will have seen time after time in the
paper of business in the House of Commons " Sale
of Gas Amendment Bill, 1,2, 3 ;" but with the ex-
ception of those specially interested in the question,
there are few who know anything about these bills.
Now as legislation on the question materially affects
the consumers of gas, we will endeavour to enlighten
them on the subject. Every one knows, except un-
der special agreement, that gas is sold to the con-
sumer at so much per thousand cubic feet, and that
the amount consumed is checked by a meter. It is
with reference to these meters that legisation is
sought. In the early days of gas the meters in
general use were what are termed wet meters, and
it was found after a time that they could not be
relied upon as keeping a correct register of the
amount of gas consumed. It was found also that
the meters were almost invariably so constructed as
to be in favour of the gas makers against the con-
sumers, in some cases, as was shown in evidence be-
fore committees of the House of Lords, to the ex-
tent of 40 per cent. Laws have from time to time
been passed to protect the public from unjui,t weights
and measures, and when gas became such a neees.-

sary article of consumptio-a, and in such general
use, it was felt that the public might to be protected
in thv purchase of gas as in any other commodity.
The question certainly was one exceedingly difficult
to legislate upon, but Lord Redesdale, the Chair-
man of Committees of the House of Lords, took
it up in earnest, and proposed a bill which was
read a first time in 1858. Parliament was then
dissolved, and copies of the bill were distributed
throughout all the principal towns in the kingdom,
with the view of eliciting opinions and suggestions.
In 1859, the bill after being most rigidly analysed
in both houses of Parliament, eventually passed.
The principal provisions were that gas holders were
to be deposited with the Comptroller of the Ex-
chequer, within three months from the passing of
the act, for the purpose of being tested, one of the
conditions of the act being that no meter could be
used as a standard unless it registered the amount
of gas passing through it within two or three per
cent. The standard being once determined on,
model gas holders were to be made and distributed
in the different towns. Inspectors of meters were
to be appointed, to be paid by fees, who, previous
to meters being sent out for service, were to exa-
mine them, and affix a stamp upon them in evidence
that they were proper instruments of measurement,
in the same manner that our ordinary weights are
stamped. After the passing of the act the Treasury
were to take the initiative, but, the holidays inter-
vening, the act seems to have been entirely lost
sight of, so that when the period arrived for the
standard gas holders to be deposited, the cubic foot
measure was the only one sent in. The Treasury
appointed the Astronomer Royal, Professor Airey,
and Professor Miller to fix the standard measures.
This work, apparently very easy, was found to be
very difficult to accomplish. A considerable delay
necessarily ensued. The gas meter makers through-
out the country became impatient because they
could not proceed with the manufacture of
meters until the testing holders were deposited
at the Exchequer Office, and the instructions
to the inspectors issued. A number of meetings
were held. The Treasury, the Board of Trade, the
Privy Council, and the Astronomer Royal were
communicated with. The time having elapsed for
carrying out the act, with the consent of the metre
makers, it was proposed that a short act, under the
special circumstances of the case, should be passed,
to give further time for its being put in operation.
Lord Redesdale's act as it stood met with the ap-
probation of all parties, and it was tacitly under-
stood that the amended bill should be allowed to
pass without opposition, in order that the plan
should be fairly tested, as it was the first step
in a new field of legislation.
To the surprise, however, of most parties inte-
rested, Mr, Sheridan, on the 28th June last, in-
troduced an entirely new bill. It was read a
second time (4th July), and on the sth referred
to a select committee ; but few of those likely
to be affected by the bill knew anything about
it. Some two or three, however, in time dis-
covered what its provisions were, and prayed
to be heard by counsel, and to examine witnesses
before the committee. This was refused, on the
ground that the session was too far advanced. The
committee, however, on being pressed, consented to
permit one witness on each side to be examined.
This was refused by the opponents of the bill, as
they knew that they could not effectually establish
their case by one solitary witness. The committee
then proceeded to examine four or five witnesses in.
favour of the bill, and in the course of three hours
went through the whole bill of thirty-five clauses,
some of them referring to technical details, which
it was impossible that the committee could master
in so short a time, and reported the bill to the
h6use. Fortunately, however, for the interests of
the public it is not likely to proceed further. The
Secretary of State for the Home Department has
determined to oppose the further progress of the
measure if those provisions of Lord Redesdale's
bill for the protection of the consumer are practically
ignored. For instance, it is at present unlawful for
gas companies to manufacture their metres to be
used by the consumers, to prevent their having
the opportunity of making only those which
would register in their own favour and
against the consumer. The bill proposes
to legalise this course. Again, in Lord Redes-
dale's Bill it was enacted that the standard by
which all meters are to be tested shall be kept under
the control of the Comptroller of the Exchequer.
The new bill proposes that the standards shall re-
main with the manufacturers, thus affording every
facility to their being tampered with. In the ori-
ginal bill it was proposed that Liverpool should be
excepted from the operation of the bill, because it is
presumed that the gas companies are all powerful
there, and do not like their proceedings to be inter-
fered with. This clause was, however, struck out ;
in the present bill it is re-introduced. In fact, the
new bill is to all intents and purposes a measure in-
tended for the promotion of the interests of the gas
companies, and of a certain class of meter-makers,
as against the interests of the consumers. Whilst
the present uncertainty as to the measurement of
gas continues, gas companies can well consent to a
reduction in the price of gas, because they can with
impunity have meters, which, though apparently
fair, yet can be made to register 40 per cent. in their
favour.— Observer.