CHAPTER 1
THE PLANNING AND LAYING OUT OF GASWORKS
INTRODUCTORY
The public supply of gas in this country is governed specifically by many local Acts of Pariiament, and in general by the Gasworks Clauses Acts (1847 and 1871), the Sale of Gas Act (1859), the Gas and Water Works Facilities Acts (1870 and 1873), and particularly by the Gas Regulation Act of 1920. In addition, London Companies are also under the regulations of the Metropolitan Gas Act of 1860. Düring the period of the European War (1914-1918) several Orders of a temporary nature were made under the Defence of the Realm Regulations ; while. owing to the exigencies of the war, the Gas (Standard of Calorific Power) Act was introduced in 1916, and the Statutory Gas Undertakings (Temporary Increase of Charges) Bill was passed in 1918. Under the provisions of the 1916 Calorific Power Act the Board of Trade (or the Local Government Board, whichever might be the appropriate department) was empowered to substitute a calorific power standard for an existing candle power standard, on application from the gas undertaking. Public notice was to be given by the undertaking of the calorific standard proposed for adoption, so tliat any objections raised might be considered by the Department, and an inquiry held, if necessary. The Temporary Increase of Charges Bill of 1918, though. it feli miserably short of its objective. was designed to provide relief from sliding-scale and maximum price provisions imposed by former Acts which had proved particu-larly inequitable under such abnormal conditions as resulted from the war. In effect, it enabled any statutory undertaking adversely affected by circumstances arising out of the war to make application to the Board of Trade for permission to modify its charges to an extent not more than sufficient to enable it to pay a dividend on its Ordinary stock or shares at three-quarters of the standard rate or one-half of the pre-war rate, whichever might be the lower.
The Gas Regulation Act of 1920 may certainly be regarded as epocli-making in the history of gas legislation.
The main provisions of this Act are :—
(a) The obligation to charge on the heat unit basis.
(b) The adjustment of the Standard or Maximum price (after conversion to the heat unit basis) to meet the additional costs due to after-war conditions.
(c) Powers are given to the Board of Trade to limit the percentage of inert constituents if thought flt.
(d) The obligation to supply gas at 2 indies water pressure in mains or services of 2-inch. diameter and upwards.
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