GAS REGULATION ACT, 1920 (SPECIAL ORDERS). (Hansard, 21 February 1923)

§ LORD SOMERLEYTON

My Lords, I beg to make the Motions standing in my name on the Paper relating to Special Orders under the Gas Regulation Act, 1920. With regard to the Special Order in connection with the Harwich Gas and Coke Company it will be well, as objection was taken, to give your Lordships the fullest information on the subject. This Order authorises the Harwich Gas and Coke Company, Limited, to construct gasworks, other than retorts and retort houses, on a site adjoining land on which the company have erected gasholders under the authority of the Harwich Gas Order, 1902. It appears that the company find it difficult to obtain land in Harwich which is suitable for the purpose of gas manufacture, and they have three times asked the Board of Trade to authorise them to manufacture gas on the site now in question. In 1902 and again in 1921, the Board, after an Inquiry in each case at which the local authority opposed the application, refused to empower the company to manufacture gas on the land.

A renewed application was made by the company last year which the Board decided to entertain after one of their officers had inspected the site. The Corporation of Harwich and certain inhabitants of the district again opposed the application, chiefly on the ground that the manufacture of gas would create a 111 nuisance owing to the close proximity of the adjoining houses. Having regard to all the circumstances the Board decided, after again fully hearing the objections, that the company should be authorised to construct gasworks, other than retorts and retort houses, on the land. Provisions have been inserted in the Order to make it clear that certain public and private rights alleged to exist in connection with the land are not to be affected by the Order.