THE ELECTRICAL SUPPLY QUESTION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 80, 25 March 1914, Page 7

THE ELECTRICAL SUPPLY QUESTION.

[To The Editor Stratford Post.] Sir, —Since my last letter to you I have been giving the matter of the Electric Light License some thought, and have arrived at the conclusion that it does not require a legal opinion as to whether the proposed .icenseiwill-give the Company the right to continue its operations after the expiration of the term of the con- I cession. In my humble opinion this right to continue is what the Com-j pany is aiming at. There are other questions involved in this matter : which, with your, kind permission, I would be glad to bring before your' readers. First, it is an admitted fact: that an agreement exists between the, Company and, the Council. As a matter of principle and commercial mor-| ality should, not the parties thereto' honestly abide by its conditions? There can only be one answer. Yes. i Does the Company wish to abide">by: the conditions? Evidently not, other-! * J t | wise why the agitation for a license which will give them something more than intended in the Deed of Concession? - I believe a majority of the ratepayers would be in favor of buy- j ing the Company’s plant at the end of the concession at a fair valuation, j abut the Company evidently thinks otherwise, and wishes to hold a club over the head of the Council in the forty of the proposed license, which .would undoubtedly force the burgesses into an unfair position. The second question involved is that of good- j. will. I j understand the license expressly states that in the event of a local authority purchasing the Company’s undertaking the license shall carry with it no goodwill. This point is, I also understand, ~made use of in persuading people to sign the petition. : The Municipal Corporations Act distinctly states that in the event of a Borough Council purchasing works, of this kind they shall pay no goodwill, and this course was upheld by a Judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. But what did the Privy Council do on an appeal made to them by the Hamilton Gas Company? They upset the Judge’s decision and mulcted the Hamilton Borough Counicl in goodwill to the extent of £20,000. Have the directors of the Electric Light Co. gqt this decision in the back of their minds, and do they intend to use, it if they obtain the license asked' for? I Contend that if, tip Municipal Corporations’ Act was ,not strong enough to guard the interests of the ratepayers then a license rs hot. These are points for.unwary ratepayers to,think over, and to “read," mark, learn, and in- / ’ - 1 ' • j * wardly digest!” To put these matters beyond the bounds of possibility, will the Chairman of Directors of the Company state publicly and definitely: (1) That the Company will be preto seh~tlieiF planfr at a value to he arrived at by arbitration. (2). That in the event of obtaining the license the Company will abide by the clause affecting, goodwill, and null not take advantage of the ruling of the Privy Council, on, this question.—l ' t ,1, T. am, etc., , , . , ~ I" ' IGNORAMUS. /Itsi • ‘