Gas Act of 1916 (7 Geo v No. 11) (Qld)

7468 GAS. Gas Act. FRUIT CASES. See AGRICULTURE. 7 GEO. V. No. n, GAS. 7NGoe.o1. 1V. . An Act to Prescribe Standards of Heating Power, THE GAS ACT Purity, and Pressure for Gas, and to Regulate 01' 1916. the Price thereof; to Regulate Companies and Others Supplying Gas; and for purposes con- sequent thereon or incidental thereto. [AsSENT£]) TO 13TH DECJEMBER, 1916.1 B E it enacted by the King's Most Excellent Majesty, hy and with the advice and consent of the Legis- lative Council and Legislative Assembly of Queensland in Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows : - Short title.. 1. This Act may be cited as "The Ga8 Act of 1916," and and shall come into operation on the first day of April, ::~ : ~ ~ ~ t. one thousand nine hundred and seventeen. Operation or 2. This Act shall have effect notwithstanding Act. anything to the contrary, whether express or implied, in any Act, rule, or regulation, or in any contract or agree- ment, whether oral or written, or in any deed, document, security, or other writing whatsoever; and nothing contained in any of the aforesaid matters or things shall be construed to prejudiee or affect the full and effectual operation of this Act. Definition. Gas company. Local Authority. ·3. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms have the meanings set against them respectively, that is to say :- "Gas company" or " company "-Any company, corporation, firm, or person supplying coal gas for lighting, heating, motive power, or other purpose, and disposing of the same for profit: the term includes a Local Authority; " Local Authority "-A Local Authority consti- tuted under "The Local Authoritie8Act8, 1902-1913"* ; * 2 Edw. VII. No. 19 and amending Acts, supra, pages 1860 et seq., 5653, and 5918.

GAS. 7469 1916. Gas Act. "Minister"-The Secretary for PublicWorks or Minister. other Minister of the Crown charged for the time being with the administration of this Act; "Prescribed "-Prescribed by this Act; Prescribed. "Regulations"-Regulations ma.de under this Act; Regulations. "This Act "-This Act and any Order in Council This Act. or regulations made thereunder. 4. This' Act applies to all gas companies which at Application • the commencement of this Act supply ga.s or may at of Act. any time thereafter supply gas. 5 (1.) The quality of the gas supplied by a com- Heating pany shall, with respect to its heating power and its purity, ~~ ~ :; : ~ be as prescribed in the First Schedule to this Act. pressure of Unless a company is prevented by accident or by:::: I. the necessity of temporarily opening or otherwise tem- porarily disturbing its mains in the locality for the purpose of effecting repairs to or making connections with such mains, all gas supplied by a company to any consumer of gas.shall be supplied at such pressure as is prescribed in the First Schedule to this Act. (2.) The apparatus to be used for testing gas shall be Apparatus. as prescribed in the Second Schedule to this Act. The Sch. n. method of testing shall be as prescribed by the regulations. ' (3.) A company shall provide testing-places at Testing- places approved by the Minister. places. Such testing-places shall not, except by agreement between the Minister and the company, exceed three in number. The company shall provide all the apparatus required by this Act for the testing of its gas, and shall at all times, if so required by the Minister, keep such testing-places and apparatus in proper order and repair. (4.) Any gas examiner may, at a testing-place, or at Test of any public lamp, or at the inlet of any meter, or at any pressure. prescribed place, as and when he thinks fit, test the pressur~ at which the gas is supplied. 6. (1.) The Governor in Council may from time toAppointmenfi time appoint fit persons to be gas examiners. ~ ~ !n~ ers, . Such examiners may at any. reasonable hours, ~ nd~ ; ~ ~ : ~ g subject to any reasonable oversIght, test the heatmg power, purity, and pressure of the gas supplied by any company, and for that purpose may enter any land or premises of such company.

7470 GAS. Gas Act. 7 GEO. V. No. 11, All such tests shall be made in accordance with this Act. tReestpionrgt. of follow( 2i. n)gAthgaatsoenxawmhiincherthsheatlle,stoinng thhaes dbaeyenim c m on e d d u i c a t t e e d l ~ y make and deliver a report to be filed in the office of the Minister of the results of his testing, and deliver a copy of such report to the gas company. b g F e a a s caiflfiotiredsetdo give (3to.) aEvgearsy . ceoxmampainneyranadndits t o o fficheisrs aanssdisstearnvtasntascscheaslsl examiners. to the testing-place, and shall afford all facilities for the proper execution of this Act. If any company or any such officer or servant fails to comply with this section, it or he shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding ten pounds. . Defect in heating . power. Defect in purity. 7. (1.) If on any day the heating power of the gas supplied by any company at any testing place is of less heating power than is prescribed, the company shall be liable to penalties 'as follows : - If the deficiency does not exceed fourteen British thermal units, a sum not exceeding two pounds; If the deficiency exceeds fourteen British thermal units, but does not amount to twenty-eight British thermal units, a sum not exceeding five pounds; For each complete twenty-eight British thermal units, a sum not exceeding ten pounds. (2.) If on any day the gas supplied by any company at any testing-place is of less purity than is prescribed~ the company shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding fifty pounds for each occasion on which it is so in default. (3.) Provided that- (a) Where one penalty is imposed in respect of defective heating power or excess of impurity in the gas supplied by the company at one testing-place on any day, no further penalty shall be imposed in respect of the same offence discovered at any other testing-place of the company on the same day; (b) The average of any three testings made on any three days within any period of six months shall be deemed to represent the heating power of such gas on the third day at such testing-place.

1916. GAS. Gas Act. 7471 (4.) H at any time the gas supplied by any company Defeo1; in is supplied at a pressure less than is prescribed, the pressure. company shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding ten pounds: Provided that, where a penalty is imposed in respect of insufficiency of pressure in the gas supplied by the company during any period of twenty-four hours, no further penalty shall be imposed'in respect of insufficiency of pressure in ~ he gas suppl1ed by the company during the same period. (5.) No penalty shall be incurred by a company Saving 88 to for defect of heating power, or excess of impurity, or penalties. insufficiency of pressure in the gas supplied by the com- . pany in any case in respect of which it is proved that such defect or excess or insufficiency was produced by any circumstance beyond the control of the company. 8 (1.) The Governor in Council may from time to G88 referees time appoint a fit person or persons to be a gas referee and their or gas referees for the purposes of this Act: Provided powers. that _no person shall be appointed a gas referee or examiner who is in any way directly interested in any gas, electric, or other light or power supply company. (2.) A gas referee shall, for the purposes of any reference under this Act, have all the powers of a Judge of the Supreme Court on the hearing of an action in that Court, including the power to grant costs; and, in addition, the gas referee shall have the power of his own motion to summon and examine witnesses and to call for and enforce the production of all such books, accounts, contracts, vouchers, documents, and writings as in his opinion will or may assist him in the matter of the reference. (3.) Upon any such reference, the Minister and the company concerned and any consumers requiring the reference shall be entitled to be represented and be heard. . (4.) Every such reference shall be heard and deter- mined in open court. (5.) H either party to the reference is dissatisfied with the decision of the gas referee, he shall have the right to appeal therefrom to a judge of the court having jurisdiction in industrial matters.

7472 GAS. Gas Act. 7 GEO. V. No. 11, Cost of pipes 9. (1.) A gas company shall, upon being required ~ r d b so to do by the owner or occupier of any premises situated o ar o:i!y y within twenty-five yards from any main of such company, d o~ er give and continue to give a supply of gas for such premises, o preDllses. and furnish and lay any pipe that may be necessary for such purpose: Provided that on ordinary application the cost of so much of any service pipe for the supply of gas to any owner or occupier as is laid upon. the property of such owner or in the possession of such occupier, and of so much of any such pipe as is laid for a greater distance . than sixty-six feet from any pipe -9f the· company although not on such property, shall be defrayed by such owner or occupier. ~ otice to be (2.) Every owner or occupier of premises entitled to :~ : : . :: en and requiring a supply of gas, by meter shall serve a supply of notice upon the company at the office, Bpecifying the gas. premises in respect of which such supply is required, and the day (not being an earlier day than a reasonable time after the date of the service of such notice) upon which the supplyis required to commence, and sha.ll, if required by such company so to do (when such notice is considered by the company as special or as an application for exten- sion of main), enter into a written contract (and subject to transfer of contract if required) with such company to continue to receive and pay for a supply of gas for a period of at least twelve months thereafter, and shall give to the company, if required by it to do so, security for the payment to it of all moneys which may become due by such owner or occupier in respect of such supply of gas as may be registered by meter, arid of any pipe to be laid upon the property of such owner or in the posses- sion of such occupier: Provided- (i.) That the company may discontinue to supply gas and may remove the meter and fittings, the property of the company, in the event of damage or injury to the meter or fittings or of the customer neglecting or refusing to . pay the charge for gas supplied or for hire or rent of meter; (ti.) That the company allow interest at the rate of five pounds per centum per annum on sums deposited by way of security for every six months during which the same remain in

GAS. 7473 1916. Gas Act. their hands, such interest to be deducted from the amount due for gas on the thirty-first day of March and the thirtieth day of Septem- ber in each year. Whenever the company wilfully neglects or refuses to give a supply of gas to any owner or occupier of premises entitled to the same under such pressure as is prescribed, it shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding forty shillings for each day during which such default continues. Nothing herein shall be construed to deprive a com- pany of any remedy it may have under any other Act for securing the due payment of gas supplied by it to consumers : Provided also that the company shall not be com- pelled to give a supply of gas to any premises unless the fittings therein are installed in accordancewith regulations issued by the company and approved by the Minister. 10. Any twenty occupiers or owners of premises Company situated in a defined locality within the limits wherein mal ~ to which a company is authorised to supply gas may address ~ ~ p; ~ glIB. a memorial in the prescribed form to the Minister setting forth that the said premises are not supplied with gas, and could conveniently be so supplied and ought rea- sonably to be so supplied by such company, and under- taking to become consumers of gas for a period of at least twelve months thereafter upon its being so supplied. Thereupon the Minister may refer such memorial to a gas referee appointed under· this Act; and such gas referee shall hear and determine the matter accordingly: Provided that the return by gross sales of gas from such extension or supply of gas shall not be less than twenty pounds per centum per annum on the outlay incurred by the company in making such extension or giving such supply, the gas referee may determine that the memorial should be given effect to, whether in whole or in part, and may then order the company, within a time to be fixed by him, to lay such mains and pipes and to do all such other works and things as are required for the purpose of supplying gas to the premises within a locality to be defined by him; and the company shall obey such order. . If within such t&!e fixed as aforesaid the company has not conformed to such order as aforesaid, the Minister F

·7474 GAS. Gas Act. 7 GEO. V. No. 11, may conform to the same, and for such purpose shall be deemed to be the irrevocable attorney and agent of the company; and all expenses incurred by the Minister in so doing shall be repaid to him by the company. A certificate under the hand of the Minister certifying the amount of such expenses may be filed in the office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court, and thereupon shall be deemed to be a judgment of that Court and be enforceable against the company accordingly. Testing of meters. 11. No meter shall be issued for the use of a con- sumer by a company until it has been first tested and stamped by a gas examiner in accordance with the regulations. . Within twelve months, or such further time. as the Minister deems necessary, after the commencement of this Act every meter in use on the premises of any con- sumer at the commencement of this Act shall be so tested, and, if found accurate, stamped. All meters issued by a company and in use shall be . again tested, and, if found accurate, restamped at intervals of not more than seven years. All meters which, after testing, are found to be inaccurate shall be removed at the expense of the company. Price of gas. 12. Subject to this Act, and notwithstanding anything contained in any Act or any memorandum or articles of association, the price to be charged by a company for gas supplied by it to consumers by meter shall, subject to revision as hereinafter provided, be at the rate following per one thousand cubic feet of gas, that is to say:- (i.) By a 'company now carrying on business at the rate charged by such company on the first day of November, one thousand nine hundred and fifteen, until the rate has been fixed in the manner hereinafter provided, and thereafter at that rate; (ii.) By any other company at the rate fixed prior to the company starting to supply gas. P1' ? visio~ fol' 13. In order to ensure that the price of gas payable ~ r;a~ t~ : by consumers shall be fair and reasonable to the Gon- time to time. sumers and to the company supplying the same, the following provisions shall be in for~ :-- (i.) The Minister of his own motion, or any company or fifty consumers of gas may by

GAS. 7475 1916. Gas Act. application to .the Minister, require that the question of the price of gas payable by con· sumers to such company shall be referred to a gas referee for hearing and determination, and the same shall be referred accordingly: Provided that after the first reference no further reference shall be' made within a shorter period than two years of the last preceding reference. (ii.) The Minister shall, within six months after the commencement of this Act, require such reference to be made with respect to the price of gas to be chargeable by any gas company. (iii.) Forthwith upon any such reference being made such gas referee shall proceed to hear and determine the matter of the reference, and shall accordingly fix the price of gas to be thereafter chargeable to consumers by the company concerned; (iv.) When the price of gas has been fixed upon a reference in accordance with this section, that price shall remain unaltered for a period of two years and thereafter unless or until the price is again fixed by a further reference as herein provided, and so on from time to time; (v.) If the Minister or any party to the reference is dissatisfied with the price determined by the gas referee, he shall have the right to appeal to a judge of the Court having jurisdiction in industrial matters, and such judge shall there.. upon have jurisdiction to hear and determine such appeal, and his decision shall be final and without appeal. Such appeal to such judge shall be by way of rehearing. Upon such appeal such judge shall have all the powers and authorities vested in him as a Court under the laws relating to the jurisdiction of such Court. (vi.) For the purposes of determining the price of gas, the gas referee, or on appeal such judge, ~ hall be guided by the directions set forth in the Third Schedule to this Act or any Sch. HI. amendment of such Schedule in force for the time being.

7476 GAS. Gas Act. 7 GEO. V. No. 11, gCahsarsguepfpo1l.er d 14. (1.) In ad . diti , on to the price charged by any com- by means of pany for gas supphed by It, such company may charge, for preryment the hire of anv prepayment meter and fittings to be used cl AJ 41: ~ e~ 2..{, therewith, a price calculated at a rate not exceeding ten • t). ' . pence per thousand cubic feet of gas supplied, but the sum to be charged for gas and hire together shall not in any case be less than two shillings per month per meter; such charge to include the hire of one meter and the fittings used therewith. (2.) The said charges shall include the providing, letting, fixing, repairing, and maintenance of the meters and fittings of the meters (as the case may be), and the cost of collection and other costs incurred by the company in connection therewith, except the deposit for rental. (3.} For the purposes of this section the expression "prepayment meter" means any meter or appliance by which the quantity of gas suppliedis regulated according to the amount of money prepaid therefor. Reserve fund. 15. The directors of a gas company may, if they think fit, in any year appropriate, out of the revenue of the company, as part of the expenditure on -revenue account, any sum not exceeding an amount equal to one per centum of the paid-up ·capital of the company, inclusive of premiums, to a fund to be called "the reserve fund." The maximum amount standing to the credit of the reserve fund shall not at any time exceed an amount equal to one-tenth part of the paid-up capital of the company, inclusive of premiums. Such fund shall at the discretion of the directors be applicable for meeting contingencies, or for equalising dividends, or for any other purpose to which the profits of the company may be properly applied, and, pending such application, may be employed in the business of the company. Annual 16. Every gas company shall cause to be filled up statementof and forwarded to the Minister, on or before the thirty-first accounts. day 0 f March I . II eachyear, aniannuta s atement 0 f accounts, made up to the thirty-first day of December then next preceding, in the form and containing the particulars specified in the regulations. . The company shall keep copies of such annual state- ment at its office, and sell the same to any applicant at a price not exceeding one shilling for each copy.

GAS. 7477 1916. Gas Act. A gas company operating in any enterprise other than gas-making or gas works situated in separate dis- tricts of the State,or operating outside of as well as within the State, shall, if so required by the Minister, furnish separate accounts in the form prescribed in respect of each and all of its enterprises or gas works or places of business in Queensland. If any such company makes default in complying with this section, it shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding two pounds for each day during which such default continues. . 17. (1.) The Auditor-General, at the request of the Examination Minister, shall, and the Minister may on his own initiative, and aUft of or at the relluest of not less than twelve users of the gas aooo~ s. of any company, cause the Auditor-General to examine and audit, or cause any officer of the public service appointed by the Minister in that behalf to examine and audit, the accounts of such company, and for the purposes of such audit examine any books and documents relating to such accounts. (2.) If any person obstructs the Auditor-General, or . any officer so appointed, in the exercise of his powers or the performance of his duties under this section, or without lawful excuse refuses to produce any book, account, document, writing, paper, or instrument in his possession or under his control, or to answer any question asked by the Auditor-General or such officer for the purpose of the exercise of such powers or performance of such dutie~ , he shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding twenty pounds, and if any person, after conviction for any such offence, still refuses to produce any such book, account, document, writing, paper, or instrument, or to answer any such question, he shall be liable to a further penalty not exceeding twenty pounds for every day during which such default cont.inues. 18. Any Schedule of this Act may from time to Amendment time be amended or added to or a new Schedule in lieu cf Schedules. thereof substituted by the Governor in Council by Order in Council published in the Gazette: any Schedule so amended or· added to, or any such new Schedule, shall thereupon be a Schedule to this Act: Provided that three months' notice shall be served on every company affected and be given in the Gazette of the intention of the Governor in Council to exercise his powers under this section :

-""(.' -l 7478 GAS. Gas Act. 7 GEO. V. No. 11, Provided further that, if any company affected by any amendment of any Schedule signifies its disapproval of such amendment by notice in writing to the Minister within twenty-one days after being served with notice of such amendment and the pUblication in the Gazette of such amendment, the same shall not take effect unless or until a judge of. the Court of Industrial Arbitration has held a public inquiry and allowed such amendment. Due notice shall be given of the holding of such inquiry to the Minister and to every company affected, which may be represented thereat. Meters and 19. The meters and fittings of the company shall fittings not not be subject to distress for rent of the building or s d u is b t j r e e c s t s t f o or premises where the same may be used, or to be taken in rent, &c. execution under any process of any court of law or equity against the person ill whose possession the same may be, nor be affected by any order for sequestration of the estate of such person or any order respecting his estate having similar effects, nor shall the property in any such meters and fittings pass to any purchaser on any sale or transfer of such buildings or premises. Companies 20. No company shall be subject or liable to any of t u n on o pl t ee s s u ns b s J a l· c te l t . e i c o t s n t 0 hffeenpceenaagltaie. msstotrhfios· rAfecittuure n1 sesins flaincteadctb' IOyntshhisaIAI chtavfoer baeneny ~ ~ ught brought or information or complaint respecting such j: s~ i: of offence or offences shall have been laid before some the peace. justice of the peace within three calendar months after such offence shall have been committed. Regulations. 21. The Governor in Council may from time to time make regulations providing for all or any purposes, whether general or to meet particular cases, that may be convenient for the administration of this Act, or that may be necessary or expedient to carry out the objects and purposes of this Act, and, where there may be in this Act no provision or not sufficient provision in respect of any matter or thing necessary or expedient to give effect to this Act, providing for and supplying such omission or insufficiency; and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing provisions by such regulations, provision may be made for the testing, stamping, and examination of meters, the registration and regulation of meters, and any matters incidental thereto. . Such regulations may provide a penalty not exceeding fifty pounds for any contravention thereof, and may impose reasonable fees to be paid for any services rendered under this Act.

GAS. 7479 1916. Gas Act. All such regulations shall be published in the Gazette, and shall thereupon have the same force and effect as if they were embodied in and formed part of this Act. Such regulations shall be laid before Parliament within three weeks after such publication if Parliament is then sitting, and, if not, then within three weeks after the beginning of the then next session of Parliament. If either House of Parliament passes a resolution disallowing any such regulation, of which resolution notice has been given at any time within thirty sitting days of such House after such regulation has been laid before it, such regulation shall thereupon cease to have effect, but without prejudice to the validity of anything done in the meantime. For the purpose of this section, the term "sitting days" shall mean days on which the House actually sits for the despatch of business: Provided always that if such regulations are not duly laid before Parliament as hereinbefol..'e prescribed they shall thereupon cease to have any force, effect, or operation whatsoever. 22. (1.) All proceedings in respect of offences against Prooildure. this Act may be heard and determined in a summary way under "The Justices Acts, 1886 to 1909."* (2.) Any person who acts in violation of this Act shall, unless for such offence a penalty is expressly provided, be liable to a penalty not exceeding fifty pounds. SCHEDULE 1. [See ss. 5, 18.] STANDARDS. {A)-Of Heating Power. The quality of gas with respect to its heating value shall be not less than five hundred British thermal units per cubic foot total heating value. . {B)-Of Purity. Gas shall, when tested in accordance with this Act, contain- No hydrogen sulphide. Ammonia-Not more than four grains per one hundred cubic feet. {C)-Of Pressure. Gas shall be supplied at such pressure as to balance a column. of water not If'SS than fifteen-tenths of an inch in height. * 50 Vic. No. 17 and amending Acts, 8upra, pages 1132 et seq.

7480 GAS. Gas Act. 7 GEO. V. No. 11, [See ss. 5, 18.] SCHEDULE n. Testing of gas. 1. The appaora.tus for testing the heating power of gas shall be the Simmance-Abady Calorimeter. . 2. The apparatus for testing the presence in the gas of sulphuretted hydrogen shall be a glass vessel containing a strip of bibulous paper moistened with a solution of acetate of lead, containing sixty grains of <>rystalIised acetate of lead dissolved in one fluid ounce of water. 3. The apparatus for testing the presence of ammonia shall consist of a glass vessel filled· with glaf3S marbles moistened with standa.rd sulphuric acid, and the test shall be carried out so as to Rhow the proportion of ammonia. contained in the gas. 4. For the purpose of th~ test of pressure, the examjn~ T shall use a recording Dressure gauge. known a.s King's pressure ga.uge. {See ss. 13, 18.] SCHEDULE In. Directions to be Observed in Determining the Price of Gas. . 1. The cost of production of gas per one thousand cubic feet of the company concerned shall be ascertained in accordance with the following formula :- PARTICULARS ·FOR AsCERTAINING THE COST OF PRODUCTION OF GAS. Cost. Cost per 1,000 c. ft. 1. Coal, oil, &c., used .. 2. Purifying materials, water, and sundries .. 3. Office management- (a) Directors' fees (b) Salary of manager .. (c) Clerical staff .. (d) Rent actually paid .. (c) Other expenses 4. Salaries of engineers and other officers at works .. 5. Wages paid under Industrial Award 6. Other wages .. 7. Repairs and maintenance of works and plant- (a) Materials (b) Wages paid under Industrial Award (c) Other wages .. (d) Other charges 8. Distribution (not included under office manage- ment above)- Salaries and wages of officers-- (a) Wages paid under Industrial Award .. (b) Other wages and salaries 9. Repair, maintenance, and renewal of mains and service pipes-- (a) Materials (b) Wages paid under Industrial Award (c) Other wages .. 10. Repairing, renewing, and fixing and refixing meters, stoves, gas fittings, &c. £ 8. d.

1916. GAS. Gas Act. PARTIOULARS FOR ASOERTAINING THE COST Oji' PRODUCTION OF G As-continued. - Cost. per 1, C0o0s0t c. ft. 11. !a) Depreciation as allowed by the State Com- .. .. .. missioner of Income Tax; (b) Public lighting when the lamps and service .. pipes are owned by the company (c) Rates and taxes .. .. .. · . ·. ·. (d) Other expenses (not elsewhere included) 12. Reserve fund (so much as is used in the year to meet contingencies and to equalise dividends) £ 8. d. Total cost of production of all gas £ The amount of total cost of production of all gas shall be divided by the one-thousandth part of the total amount of gas made as per station meter less t.pn per centum allowance for leakage; and the result will be the ascertained cost of production per one thousand cubic feet. 2. The actua.l amount of money invested ·in the gas undertaking of the company concerned sha.ll be ascertained in accordance with the following formula :- P ARTIOULARS FOR ASOERTAINING THE AOTUAL AMOUNT OF MONEY INVESTED IN THE GAS UNDERTAKING. Items. Present Value. --------------------------------------------------- ----------- 1. Land occupied by the company and used in its business £ 8. d. 2. Buildings occupied by the company and used in its business 3. Furniture and office requisites •• 4. Gas meters 5. Machinery (engines, &c.) 6. Plant other than machinery 7. Mains, pipes, and fittings 8. Other equipment 9. Reserves- Coal. • Pipes Fittings 10. All material and stocks .. Total •• £ 8! per cent. on total £ A sum equal to eight pounds ten shillings per centum of the total amount so ascertained- shall be divided by the one-thousandth part of the total amount of gas made as per station meter less ten per centum allowance for leakage; and the result will be the ascertained return per one thousand cubio feet on the aotual amount invested in the gas undertaking. 7481

7482 GAS. Gas Act. 7 GEO. V. No. 11, 1916. 3. The price chargea.ble per one thousand cubic feet of gas shall be ascertained 80S follows : - Per 1,000 Cubic Feet. Add together- Ascertained cost of production •• Ascertained return on actual amount invested in the gas undertaking Provision for discount-lj9th of the above total Price chargeable 8. d. Provided this charge be subject to a discount allowance of ten per centum to consumers paying their accounts within twenty-one days of the date of the account, but not otherwise: Provided further that, in the event of the consumption per month being less than that shown in the following scale, rent be charged for ordinary meter in addition to the amount payable for gas supplied, at the undermentioned rate :- £ 8. d. 2 light meter,minimum consumption 400 feet per month; if less,rent 0 0 6 3 ,,500 007 5" 800"" 009 10 " " 15 " 1,200"'0 02 1,600 ...0 1 6 20 2 , 0 0 0 " " 0 I 9 30 " " 50 " " 3,000 4,500 026 , , ( ) :l 9 60 80 100 " " 5,500"" 7,000"" 8,500 0 4, 6 0 5 f5 066 150 1 2 , 0 0 0 " 0 8 9 200 1 5 , 0 0 0 " 0 11 0 600 " 35,000 15 6 Any other size as arranged. 4. In ascertaining the cost of production of gas, consideration shall be given to what is necessary for the efficient and econOlnical manage- ment of the undertaking. Without limiting the powers and discretions of the gas referee or the Judge on appeal, any payments to directors, officers, agents, or other persons, or by way of commission, rent, or other charge, which are found to be unnecessary or excessive, shall be disallowed or reduced to such amount as is deemed proper. 5. In ascertaining the actual amount of money invested in the gas undertaking, no allowance whatever shall be made for goodwill. The several items shall be separately valued in 8itu as part of a going concern after making due allowance for depreciation. GOVERNMENT SAVINGS BANK See BANKS' AND BANKING.