§ MR. E. STANHOPEasked the President of the Board of Trade, Whether his attention has been called to the fact that the Court of Referees refuse local authorities a locus standi in the case of Bills promoted by Gas and Water Companies where such Companies seek only for powers to raise additional capital; and, whether this is in conformity with the practice of the House of Lords and the Board of Trade in similar cases?
§ MR. CHAMBERLAIN, in reply, said, that his attention had been called to the fact referred to. He was informed that the practice of the House of Lords in similar cases was at variance with that of the Court of Referees; and certainly the practice of the Board of Trade had been to allow local authorities in all such cases to appear and to be heard. They thought that they, as representatives of the ratepayers, had considerable interest in all such cases, to prevent anything like unnecessary or extravagant increase of capital in the case of Companies having a monopoly in the supply of gas and water; and, above all, to prevent the postponing of the necessity of a general revision of their Parliamentary powers when they had occasion to come before the House.