The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-03-09 00:00:00

MEETING OF GAS CONSUMERS TO OPPOSE THE
GAS LIGHT COMPANY'S BILL, NOW BEFORE
PARLIAMENT.

Yesterday evenir

Guardian Societ a numerous meeting of members of the
y, aners, consumer of as within the
borough, was held atd theoth Adelphi Hotel,s
forthe purpose of
adopting measures to oppose the bill now before parliament,
the object of which is to give additional power to the old or
Dale-street Gas-light Company of this town.
In the absence of the President of the Guardian Society,
(through whose vigilance the meeting mainly originated,)
Mr. George Walker, the Vice. president, was called to the
chair.

The CHAT

MAN stated that, on the secretary of t'he society
receiving a copy of the Gas-light Company's bill, a com-
mittee was appointed to consider it,' and, as they conceived
that it militated against the interests of the gas consumers
generally, they caled on about thirty of the largest con-
sumers, and finding them of the same opinion, that a depu-
tation was appointed, who waited on the Committee of the
Gas-light Company, by whom they were most courteously
received. The result, however, was such, that it was
deemed expedient to call the present general meeting of con-
sumers. He then requested the secretary to read the mi-
nutes of the proceedings alluded to.
The SECRETARY read the minutes, which were of iconsi-
derable length. At the first meeting on the subject t was
resolved to write to Lord Sandon, expressing their opinion
on the bill, and requesting him to procure tha postponement
of the second reading (the bill having then been read a first
time) for at least ten days, so as to enable them to prefer
their objections to several of its clauses deeply affecting the
consumers. The bill had been read a first time on the Fri-
day, and the second reading was appointed for the Monday
following; and his lordship's reply was that it had been read
a second time accordingly, but that he had procured the
postponement of it going into committee for three weeks.
It appeared from the further reading of the documents, and
also of several clauses of the bill. (which were afterwards
opposed seriatim by the meeting,l that the Company had
been authorised to raise a further amount (above the
original capital) of £50,000; but that they had expended a
sum of £140,000 over and above that amount, which they
stated they had expended in laying mains to the townships
round Liverpool, and making additions to their works to
enable them to supply those townships with gas, and that
they sought to legalize that amount that it might become part
and portion of their capital for the sole benefit of the present
shareholders, as if described by them—making, in all,
£190,000 to be divided and apportioned amongst them. They
also required power to raise a further sum, to enable them to
light those townships, the sum of £llO ,000 in shares, making,
with their original capital of £50,000, a capital of no less
than £300,000. On the £190,000 thus sought to be legalized
I as capital, they sought a profit from the public of at least 10

(per cent.,—m; advantage to be:derived by the public, until
that profit was first secured to the company. To this appro-
priation of £140,000, which they had raised on the strength
of the present consumers, the deputation strongly objected.
One clause sought for power to distrain for rents, without
even the intervention of a magistrate's summons. The so-
ciety. considered that they ought to be constrained to apply
to a magistrate, or to recover the amounts due in the usual
courts of law. The deputation further required that the ac-
counts of gas supplied in the borough should be kept separ-
ate from those of that supplied to the townships, otherwise
that the additional shares required to raise the £llO.OOO,
should be sold by public auction, in which case they would
not insist upon that revision. The reply of the gas commit-
tee to this was, that they could not keep the accounts separ-
ate, but that they had no objection to raise £60,000 of the
amount, in shares amongst themselves, and that the remain-
ing £50,000 should be offered by auction to the public.
They also made several other minor propositions, (the 10 per
cent. being first secured to them), which, however, did not
meet the views of the deputation. Another claim required
that injury done to meters be paid for by consumers. They
agreed that this clause should be altered to " wilful injury"
only. Another clause was to the effect, that any person
inhabiting or using premises in which the company's pipes,
&c. were laid from their mains, and who required the same
to be removed, that the expense of such removal should be
defrayed by the person so requiring their removal. The
committee objected to this but without effect. The claim
required authority for their surveyors to inspect their meters
at " all hours," they agreed to alter to " all reasonable
hours." It was stated by Mr. Carson, solicitor for the Gas
Company, that the bill was in the hands of Lord Shaftshury,
who was making alterations in it, and he did not know what
it,would be when it came from his lordship's hands ; but that
a copy should be sent to the society when it was printed.
At a subsequent meeting of a committee of the society, it
was agreed that Mr. Radley should be authorised to call the
general meeting of that night.
Mr. RAD= remarked, that the meeting had heard that
the deputation was most graciously received by the Gas Com-
pany. He remembered the time when the gas consumers
applied to the same quarter, complaining of some extraordi-
nary powers that were required by them, and received a short
letter to the effect that their interference was not wanted.
The times were now somewhat altered, and he was glad that
the sgstem pursued, and the legitimate weight of the con-
sumers had become better known. He stood as the repre-
sentative of the consumers of gas ; and was in no degree
connected with the shareholders of the Gas Company. He
felt assured that if they would but put their shoulders to the
wheel, they would be enabled to defeat the obnoxious clauses
of the bill. The company stated that tbey had expended
£140,000 over and above the amount they were authorised
.to raise, and they succeeded in legalising that amount as sub-
scribed capital, the interests of the consumers would be ma-
terially injured. They would, on Wednesday week, be
enabled to add that larger amount to their subscription,
could sell it to the public, and put the whole of the
money into their own pockets. Whence, he would
ask, did they derive that very large amount? Why,
from the public—from the consumers. Their bill was to the
effect that " each proprietor should be interested therein."
And how many were those proprietors? They were only,
he believed, bO in number. If they had expended the money,
they had borrowed it on the strength of the consumers at
their back. They (the consumers) had, however, a good
Lancashire [list. They had succeeded before, and if they
pulled together, they would succeed again. What they went
for was good gas, at a fair and moderate price. If they suc-
ceeded in legalizing the amount stated as new capital, they
would create a property out of them. Where, he repeated,
was this large sum raised from ? Mr. Fergusson has asked
them the question ; but they had evaded it. It was a ques-
tion that went too much into their books. He referred to
clause 15 of their original act. By this it appeared that they
had not power to raise money by loan ; and whence did they
derive it?

Mr. DOCKER remarked, " from the people here, who ought
to have had their gas at a cheaper rate.
Mr. RADLEY concurred. They sought to divide this suns
amongst themselves. They did not come to them to divide
any of their large profits, or to make a reduction of charge.
Ey clause 4, they sought to raise an additional £llO,OOO to
enable them to light the out-townships. The Queen's-
square Company had attempted a similar plan of enrich-
ment, but they, were defeated. If they wanted to raise
£llO,OOO, why hot dispose of shares to that amount? and
if they sold at a high premium, let the surplus go to the
general reserve fund, for the general benefit. He had no
objection to new shares, if so raised. So large a sum should
not go to increase the value of the script, but to the advan-
tage of the shareholders hnd consumers. The whole capital
sought to be appropriated to the present shareholders was
£300,000 ; and it could never have been contemplated by
the legislature that so few as sixty individuals should have
the sole advantage and control of such an amount. He
concluded by moving the first resolution, for which see the
advertisement.

Mr. JEFFREYS had great pleasure in seconding the reso-
lution. They owed the opportunity they had of opposing
the bill to the vigilance of the Guardian Society. They, as
tradesmen, though numerous, were so much engaged in their
own business in endeavouring to make money in small sums,
that they had but little time to devote to the subject ; and
meanwhile the greater capabilities of the Gas Company were
liusy in endeavouring to make money en masse. He traced
the proceedings of the company from the commencement,
when their capital was but £50,000. Their shares had risen
in the market from £lOO. to £380.; yet they did not divide
more than £5. per cent., and sought to legalize a large sum
as subscribed capital, further to enrich themselves. (He
read an extract from the proceedings of a meeting of the
proprietors of the Grand Junction Railway, in 1838, show-
ing the similarly delusive manner in which the accounts were
kept, so as to effect an undue appropriation of their funds—
the wear and tear being placed to new capital, instead of
being taken from the profits.) Why should the company
seek fora new appropriation of capital, and keep back profits
made ? Last year their profits had been £20,000., and they
had only paid £2O. per share, which was only 5 per cent.
The profits were actually 40 per cent. He considered the
application for the bill a clandestine proceeding ; and if they
obtained it they would obtain it clandestinely. The money
already raised should be a sunk amount for the general be-
nefit. He did not think that such a sum as £300,000 was
required even exclusively to light the whole town and its
outskirts. If they obtained their bill the shares would rise
to £720 each. The bill, if it passed, was a draft upon them
which they would be obliged to accept. It was a scheme to
make money with very little trouble. It might be said by
some to the consumers, " Are you not satisfied with two
companies—is not this a protection?" He replied yes, if
they were in fair opposition ; but what security had they
that there was not a connivance between them? Besides,
could the company prove to them that they had value for
even half of the £140,000. The bill. was one which enabled
the few to amass a splendid sum out of the money. Lord
Sandon had, however, put off the consideration of the bill
in commit%ee, and he believed would do every thing possi-
ble for their interests. (Cheers.) He seconded the motion;
which was put from the chair and unanimously caviled.
Mr. FERGUSSON recapitulated the proceedings that had
been taken with reference to the bill, and furnished some
dates of the actual cost of gas, to show the large profits of
the company. Ten pennyworth of cannel coal would make
1000 cubic feet of gas, for which they paid Bs. At Messrs.
Fawcett and Preston's extensive foundry the cost was only
Is. Including all expenses at the gas-houses, wages, rent,
&c., the cost was within 33. The same company supplied
the public offices for 4s. 2d. per 1000 feet, and they would
not do this without a profit. The company had been making
great profits. The whole 500 shares (amongst 60 sharehol-
ders) realized £65,000 annually, or £130,000 in the 20 years
of their standing. if they had the advantage of 10 per cent.
on the £140,000 they sought to legalize, their profits would
be immense. They called on them to pay 10 per cent. on
that amount additional.. They wanted to go to Bootle and
Linacre on one side the town, and to Garston (a distance of
six miles) on the other; but he did not think it reasonable
that those townships should have gas at the same price, to
their injury. He would give the old company the same power
as the new, but none further. He moved the next resolution

The second resolution was seconded and carried unanimously

A petition to Parliament, founded on the resolutions, was then
read by Mr. Evalvs ; and the motion, that it be carried, by Mr.
HICK ING. This was carried with similar unanimity.
Mr. TURNER, in a brief address, moved the nest resolution,
" That a deputation be sent to 'London to oppose the bill," &c.
Mr. COWARD seconded the resolution, expressing his gratification
that the names were such as convinced him that the bill would be
carefully watched.
The resolution was unanimously carried.
Mr. SUMNER. after a suitable introduction, proposed the resolu-
tion calling upon those interested to come forward with subscrip-
tions to defray the expenses of opposing the bill.
Mr. TOWERS seconded the motion, and it was carried.
On the motion of Mr. EVANS, seconded by Mr. Fasous Oti, a vote
of thanks was presented to Mr. Radley, for the gratuitous use of
the room for the present and preceding meetings, and for his gene-
ral efforts in the cause.
Mr. DOCKER then addressed the meeting, contending, among
other matters, that gas might be afforded for as.
Several other Speeches were made, after which the meeting se-
parated.

NEW CHURCH IN HOPE-STREET.—We have had frequent
occasions lately to advert to the growing attachment evinced
by the people of these realms towards the church establish-
ment, and seldom have we had a more gratifying fact to re-
cord, than the return of the Rev. Robert Aitkin to the bosom
of the church. it is no doubt known to the generality of
our readers, that this gentleman was formerly a clergyman
of the Church of England, but some years since he left her
communion, and formed several congregations, and was the
means of erecting chapels in various places for the worship
of the body he termed " the Christian. Instruction Society."
He, however, has become dissatisfied with the views which
led to this change, and has applied for readmission to the
church, and to have the chapel in Hope street, in which he
recently officiated, permanently associated with ,the esta-
blished religion of the country. These requests have been
complied with, and Hope street chapel will be termed for the
future—St. John the Evangelist's Church. Two sermons
will be preached on Sunday next therein by the Rev.' Hugh
Al`Neile and the Rev. Robert Aitkin. The Rev. Fielding
fluid will preach on the Tuesday evening following.