The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-25 00:00:00

IBER.

The London Gas C3mpanies.

On Tuesday morning the progress of the metro-
polii gas question arrived at a sudden conclusion.
On the meeting of the select committee, at eleven
o'clock, Mr. Cardwell in the chair, the discussion of
clauses in the Metropolis Gas Bill was resumed.
Mr. Davison, on behalf of the Board of Trade,
proposed a modification of the clause regulating the
payment of dividends.
Mr. Hope Scott, who represented the gas com-
panies, said his consent to the progress of the bill
had been given under a misapprehension with re-
gard to the intentions of the committee as to the
recognition of the 10 per cent. dividend.
The Chairman said the committee had no wish
to bind the companies by any such consent.
Ultimately the difficulty on this point was ob-
viated, mainly by substituting the words " as near
as may be," for " at least approaching to," in con-
nection with the maximum dividend of 10 per cent.

Mr. O'Malley, on the part of the Corporation of
the City, and Mr. -Grove, for the Metropolitan
Board of Works, stated that they would much
rather have the bill thrown out altogether than have
the foregoing alteration admitted.
Mr. Hope Scott then asked whether the com-
mittee intended to allow the continuance of the
paying up of back dividends, so as to make a total
of 10 per cent. in cases where this had not bee n
realised ?

The Chairman said the committee intended to
omit that part of the clause.
Mr. Hope Scott signified that this would proven t
the gas companies from giving their asseut.
The Chairman replied that this being the case,
the committee would not proceed any further with
the bill, but would report their opinion to the house.

The counsel for the Corporation and the Boardof
Works having expressed their sense of the services
rendered by the committee,
Mr. Hope Scott said—l am very happy to be able
to add my personal a..kno\viedginents to the com-
mittee for their courtesy ; but I cannot, of course,
involve my clients in that expression of gratitude.
The Chairman--What we have to do is to look to
the public interests involved on both sides. We are
sorry that an inquiry which has lasted so long, and
has cost so much, has not ended in an immediate
settlement of the question. We shall be glad if,
during the interval which takes place between now
and next session, the result of our inquiry is not
entirely lost, and if you are enabled to bring in a
satisfactory measure, partly founded on this inquiry,
in the next session of Parliament.
Mr. Hope Scott inquired what course the com-
mittee intended to pursue in reference to the private
bills brought forward by the Chartered and Im-
perial Companies.
The Chairman replied that if the companies
were willing that these bills should be framed in
accordance with the resolutions of the commitee
already announced, then they could be proceeded
with.
Mr. Hope Scott intimated that the companies
could not possibly consent to such terms.
These bills were accordingly withdrawn, as well
as the Metropolis Gas Bill promoted by the Board
of Trade.

THE 71M DES' UNION COMMISSION.

---o --

The adjourned meeting of the delegates of the
Loudon trades represented at the St. Martin's Hall
Conference was held last night at the Sussex Hall
—Mr. George. Potter in the chair—for the purpose
of considering the future policy to be pursued by
the trades towards the Royal Commission of In-
quiry, consequent upon the exclusion by the com-
missioners of the trades' representative, Mr.
Connolly, from their sittings, on account of his
having at a public meeting expressed an opinion on
the character of Mr. Roebuck, M.P., one of the
commissioners, as a member of Parliament. The
meeting was very numerously attended, there being
about 100 delegates present, representing as many
trades.
read
The CHAIRMAN, in openingthe
and
letters from 20 of the leading provincial trausiness, sb
trades' councils, two-thirds of whontiheexfpurteusrseedal
opinion that the trades should for ttoh-e
gether ignore the commission.
lowing resolution—" That the
endeitc:l
tigdln
Mr. WILSON (shipwright) thternadesmovreepdrtesheenfteold-
tahtatthealSlt.inAtlearrctoinu'rsseHableltCwetertehnece
Trades' Union Commissio. ex cept tai
rnr aeci
thee os
f caopinionef
evidence, should cease
witnesses Me. Connolly, their
until the rsesutonimatoino
lle contended the
representative, be rescinded
Roebuck,
excluding gh
aDir. C
insultedo nno ltlhye,
(Hear, hear.) Mr. Roebuck,
bit of attacking every man who
treisdsiieetTtihoyn thoefirMaert- ofR
at
wwhhool:.aosf tithie
differed from him in the most unscrupulous manner,
tthread:a.
ought to have been the last man to have interfered
with the freedom of speech. (Hear, hear.)
Mr J. CLARKE (plasterer) seconded the resolution,
which was supported by Mr. TinnErr (ropemaker)
and Mr. FAIRBAIRN (lighterman).
Mr. PARIS" (brushmaker) could not agree with
the resolution. There was no doubt the commission
had degraded itself by consenting to do a wrong
action because Mr. Roebuck had threatened to re-
sign his seat at the board. (Hear, hear.) He
asked the delegates to act in a more dignified man-
ner, and show the commissioners au example. He
moved an amendment to the effect " That the
trades appoint another person to fill the position
lately occupied by Mr. Connolly."
Mr. BURGESS, joiner, seconded the amendment.
Mr. LEE, compositor, thought it would be best
to try a middle course. He would, therefore, move
a second amendment, "That a deputation be ap-
pointed to wait upon the Commission of Inquiry
into Trades Unions to respectfully request them to
reconsider their decision with regard to the expul-
sion of Mr. Connolly ; and in case of their refusal,
that A meeting of the conference committee be called
to Cot sider the position of trades unions in reference
to the commission," Should the commioion refuse