The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-04 00:00:00

THE GAS CONSUMERS OF PIMLICO.

A public meeting of the gas consumers of Pimlico
was held on Monday evening in St. Leonard's-hall,
St. Leonard-street, Pimlico, for the purpose of sup-
porting the delegates from the parish in their ap-
plication to Parliament to protect the gas consumers
against the combination of the gas companies, who
have formed a monopoly. The chair was taken by ;
Sir J. V. Shelley. In explaining the objects of the
meeting, he observed that he had no wish whatever
to do anything injurious to gas companies. He
wished to give them a fair commercial profit, and
to protect gas consumers from paying for gas which
they did not really consume. That was really what
the people of the metropolis wanted, and it was no
wish on their part to screw down the companies in
any way whatever. He might observe that two
committees sat on the subject, but owing to a
change of Government and other circumstances
the question was really never sifted at all. With
respect to the observations made by Mr. Burke
before the President of the Board, he had to
say that only one witness was examined, and
they had many others ready to show how the
quality of the gas had been deteriorated. The com-
mittee, however, decided on hearing no more, and
so the matter stood. He and Mr. Locke, the member
for Southwark, were the only persons who fought
the battle; but it was considered that it was too late
in the session to go further, and so the matterended.
The difficulty they had now to contend with was,
that the Government did not feel themselves war-
ranted in bringing forward a measure on the evi-
dence taken ; but a bill had been prepared which
he was ready to bring forward in the next session
of Parliament. There were many complaints made
of the present system, and as the gas companies had
agreed to amalgamate, it was only fair they should
also be put under one system; and when inventions
were discovered which created a great decrease in
the cost of production, the gas consumers should
have the benefit of it. The question upon which the
committee split was, that as it was agreed that in
the event of frost or any other circumstance increas-
ing the produce, the companies should have a refe-
rence to the Board of Trade, but the same privilege
was refused to the gas consumer, in case he could
show a decrease.

• Mr. F. BERTOLONT (a delegate), in moving a reso-
lution in support of the delegates, mentioned that the
amount paid for gasin the metropolis at that period
was two millions, and the fact was that it was now a
matter of necessity. He complained of the abomina-
ble gas now furnished to the consumers, and of the
system practised of calling for deposits before the
gas was furnished. The other delegate (Mr. Dowden)
was compelled, he was sorry to say, to be absent on
the present occasion, but he might tell them that he
was most zealous in the cause. No other trader or
company had a right to a monopoly in the sale of any
article, and he did not see why the gas companies
should possess a privilege which no other class en-
joyed. He called on them to sign the petition
prepared on the subject, and contribute towards the
expenses which must necessarily be incurred.
Mr. WALTON seconded the motion, and hoped
that in any measure introduced the purity of the
gas supplied would be taken into consideration as
well as the price. In many cases that now sup-
plied did great injury to their furniture, and in
cases of paintings and gilding, absolutely destroyed
them.

'The CHAIRMAN read a few of the heads of the
bill, one of which applied specially to the purity of
gas to be supplied, and to do away with the exist-
ing practise of not supplying the Incoming tenant
until the outgoing paid his arrears.
Mr. JEREIVITAHCLARKE supported the resolution.
He believed the quality of the gas supplied was in
many instances of an excellent quality, and he
thought, in that respect, they had nothing to com-
plain of. -What he and other consumers wished to
have remedied was, riot to be placed at the mercy
of companies without any appeal or remedy what-
ever, no matter what may be the price charged.
By having only one set of pipes running through
their streets, instead of several as on former occa-
sions, there was no doubt whatever a great advan
tage was obtained, and unquestionably, while good
and pure gas should be supplied, they ought to
give the companies a fair remunerating profit. lle
was very happy to hear that St. James's parish
subscribed £300; St. John's, in which he resided,
put down £lOO, and although it was said subscrip-
tions of this nature wee not legal, hp, believed that
what was customary would soon beCome law. He
called on all to assist by every means in their
power the present undertaking.
After a short discussion, the motion was agreed

to.
Mr. MITCHELL moved the next resolution, which
was to the,effect that
.a copy of the first, with the
petition, be transmitted by their chairman to the
Secretary of State. He, enumerated various in=
:"stances where, as an owner of house property, he
was compelled to pay up the arrears of refractory
tenants, or else the gas would have been cut off by
those monopolising companies.
The resolution, having been seconded. by Mr.
JONES, was passed.
Thanks were then voted to the chairman, and the
proceedings terminated.

IRELAND.

DUBLIN, TUESDAY MORNING.
SEASONABLE ADVICE.

A Roman Catholic journal of sufficiently national
tendencies has begun to open its eyes to the follies
and mischiefs which have been perpetrated under
the guise of Irish agitation, conducted on the old
profesional system, as inculcated by the accredited
masters in the art of humbug. A revival of com-
mon sense like this is something to begin the new
year with. Speaking of Ireland in the past tense,
the journal thus moralises :
" Monster meetings, covering her hills and filling
her valleys, have frequently assembled to join in a
pompous and solemn recital of her many misfor-
tunes, and to relieve a deep-seated national grief by
copious floods of oratory. Such is the historic pic-
ture of that phenomenon in Irish modern life which
is designated by the title of ' Irish political agita-
tion.' It is nothing more than a tissue of feeble,
lachrymose demonstrations, which have all ended
in a bottle of smoke. Irishmen, as everybody knows,
are ruled by a Government which is representative
in its conception and form. The elements of this
Government are not exclusively English, they are
Irish also. Ireland's share in the representation is
not complained of as inadequate. It is generally
admitted to bear a fair proportion to the popula-
tion and to the commercial and agricultural status
of the country. Therefore, to Ireland is clearly
conceded, by the very provisions of the constitu-
tion under which she lives, the full and ade-
quate power of righting herself. Having such
a power, she need not approach the Throne or
Cabinet of England with weeping eyes and a
throbbing heart. She has 105 places in the House
of Commons, in which each and every one of her
representatives may boldly and fearlessly take his
stand and insist upon justice being, done to his na-
tive country. It is, therefore, quite evident that
Ireland is not trusting to tears and to abject suppli-
cation as the only constitutional means through
which to seek and hope for her political regenera-
tion, but that ample and efficacious means to this
end are placed within her grasp by the very provi-
sions of the British constitution. All that remains
to Ireland, then, to do is, to see to the proper use
and application of these means. Would that she
had done so hitherto, instead of wasting her
strength in tears and ineffective demonstrations.'