The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-16 00:00:00

THE METROPOLITAN GAS AUT.

Yesterday a meeting of the Representative Ves-
try of St. George's, Hanover-square, was held at
the Board-room, Mount-street, Grosvenor-square,
to discuss the merit of the act of last session, passed
for the purpose of regulating the supply of gas to
thn metropolis, and to elect representatives to con-
fer and act with the other parishes of the metro-

polls in carrying that act into effect.
The Rev. H. Howarth, rector of the parish, and
chaplain in ordinary to her Majesty, presided.
Mr. CHAPPELL, vestry•clerk, at the commence-
ment of the proceedings, read the following resolu-
tions, of which a notice was standing on the paper
in the name of Mr. F. R. Bertolacci, viz. :

" 1. To take into consideration the act passed
during the last session of Parliament, for regulating
the supply of gas to the metropolis, and to adopt
such a course as will secure to the parish the benefit
thereby conferred.
" 2. That the thanks of this vestry be officially
conveyed to Mr. Hughes, the honorary engineer to
the delegates appointed to obtain legislative pro-
tection against the gas monopoly, for his untiring
perseverance and profepsional talent in the matter.
" 3. That the thanks of this vestry be officially
conveyed to Mr. Jas. Beal, the honorary secretary
to the delegates, for his enterprise, talent, and,
spirit in promoting the interests of the public and.
this parish on the subject of the supply of gas to
the metropolis."
Mr. LESLIE objected to this motion upon the
ground that the delegates had expended £6,000
witheut effecting the objects for which they had
been appointed. In the course of a long speech
he argued that both Mr. Hughes and Mr. Beal had.
failed in the dut discharge of their duty, complained
that Sir J. Shelley had aided those gentlemen in
compromising the whole question ond in conclu-
sion moved an amendment as follows:

" That the act constituting this representative
vestry does not authorise the expenditure of the
rates by irresponsible delegates ; that, after pub-
lishing the ultimatum of the delegates, Sir J. Shel-
ley, and Messrs. Beal and Hughes conducted a
Parliamentary inquiry as to the large capital of,
and its administration by, thirteen of the metropo-
litan gas companies, and after expending an enor-
mous sum of money they signally failed, and Par-
liament has recorded its judgment in the act 23 and
24 Viet., cap. 125 ; the proceedings in the House of
Lords on the 7th, Bth, and 14th of August, and Mr.
Beal's letter on the latter date, all establish that
their lordships' house had refused to ratify a com-
promise ; that in deference to the Legislature, this
vestry is of opinion that the act ought to have a
full, fair, and unembarrassed trial, and that any
further agitation by irresponsible delegates, aided
by funds supplied from the public rates, would be
a mistake of this vestry ; this vestry is, therefore,
of opinion that amicable relations between the gas
companies and the gas consumers would be the
most likely course to work advantageously for the
ratepayers of this parish."
Mr. INGLE seconded this amendment.
Mr. BERTOLACCI having vindicated his resolu-
tions, and argued at some length in support of the
act as it stood, and Mr. ROBINSON, Mr. DOWDEN,
and other gentlemen, having expressed their views,
Sir J. SHELLEY defended himself from the charge
of having been a party to a prejudicial_ be men-
promise ; denying, in fist, that there had
any compromise except upon the
chargepa ofot
the gas companies. As to the
failureshap
e,
he
in e notsai
said
e ittt i\z‘r.gast heeea cgtre passedet
woeined its
worhiegninaitl
was considered that they were
united gas companies, who
11 while
hniel et
pa
ipdo
no
de d
bbyy
tt
hh ee
wentsp no less than
water companies, and
£15,000, employing
they (the delegates)
spenttd by Mr. Leslie, and em.-
£6,000, as had been eightwh ooern teny x 3,0 counsel,o,
ployed only tali
neither stated by Mr. Leslie, and em,.
ployed only two counsel. Mr. Leslie's amend-
mentcensure, and was
ment was in reality
vote unnodrelressesrvtch,d7foar
vote o
the delegates had worked hard ; they had done
their best, and he hoped the anamendment would
be withdravvn.
After some further discussion, 'Air. Leslie with-
drew his amendment, and M. Bertolacci also with-
drew the original motion, the result of the discus-
sion being that no further steps should be taken at
present in the matter, but that the act should have
iliac to develop its actual working.