KILKENNYGAS CHARGES ORDER, 1931.

GAS CHARGES.

The Kilkenny Gas (Charges) Order, 1931, made by the Minister for Industry and Commerce on the Seventh day of October, 1931, under Section 1 of the Gas Regulation Act, 1920 (10 and 11 Geo. 5, C. 28).

WHEREAS under sub-section (1) of Section 1 of the Gas Regulation Act, 1920 (in this Order called the Act of 1920), the Minister for Industry and Commerce may, on the application of any gas undertakers, by Order, provide for the repeal of any enactment or other provisions requiring the undertakers to supply gas of any particular illuminating or calorific value, and for substituting power to charge for thermal units supplied in the form of gas ;

AND WHEREAS Kilkenny Gas Lessees Limited (in this Order called "the undertakers") being undertakers within the meaning of the Act of 1920 as amended by the Gas Regulation Act, 1928 (No. 24 of 1928), have made application to the Minister for Industry and Commerce for an Order under Section 1 of the Act of 1920;

AND WHEREAS the undertakers have in accordance with the provisions of sub-section (6) of Section 1 of the Act of 1920 given public notice of the application for an Order;

NOW, therefore, the Minister for Industry and Commerce by virtue of the provisions aforesaid and in exercise of all powers enabling him in this behalf, hereby orders as follows:—

1. This Order shall be cited as the Kilkenny Gas (Charges) Order, 1931.

2. (1) The undertakers shall within three months from the commencement of this Order give notice by advertisement in Iris Oifigiuil of the calorific value of the gas which they intend to supply (in this Order referred to as "the declared calorific value") and of the date (in this Order called "the declared date") from which they will supply gas of the declared calorific value, which date shall not be more than three months from the date of the notice.

(2) After the declared date the charges which the undertakers may make in respect of the supply of gas, shall be such charges as are hereinafter authorised for thermal units supplied in the form of gas, and any provisions in force at the date of the commencement of this Order in relation to the quantity of gas supplied by the undertakers shall cease to have effect:

Provided that this sub-section shall have effect as respects the charges to any particular consumer as from the first reading by the undertakers of that consumer's meter after the declared date and not earlier.

(3) A copy of the notice referred to in sub-section (1) of this Section shall be sent to each local authority, and to every consumer, and to the Minister for Industry and Commerce.

3. As from the declared date the maximum price in respect of gas supplied by the undertakers shall be twenty-two decimal five pence per therm.

4. (1) The undertakers may demand in respect of the gas supplied through a prepayment meter a charge not greater than in respect of gas supplied to private consumers within the same area of supply through any other kind of meter, or by any other method of supply.

(2) As from the declared date—

(a) the charge for the hire of any prepayment meter and fittings to be used therewith shall be a sum of money calculated according to the number of therms supplied and the maximum rate of charge shall be:—

for a prepayment meter and fittings (including a cooking stove) three decimal three pence per therm; for a prepayment meter and fittings (not including a cooking stove) two decimal seven pence per therm.

(b) The maximum charge for the hire of a prepayment meter without fittings shall be at the rate of one decimal six pence per therm or at the rate of 10 per centum per annum on the cost of the meter whichever shall be the higher.

(c) The said charges shall include the providing, letting, fixing, repairing, and maintenance of the meter and fittings or of the meter (as the case may be), and the cost of collection and other costs incurred by the undertakers in connection therewith.

(3) For the purpose of this Section the expression "prepayment meter" means any meter or appliance by which the quantity of gas supplied is regulated according to the amount of money prepaid therefor.

5. The number of therms supplied to any consumer shall be ascertained by multiplying the number of cubic feet of gas registered by the consumer's meter by the number of British thermal units comprised in the declared calorific value and dividing the product by one hundred thousand.

6. If at any time the undertakers intend to alter the declared calorific value they shall give notice of their intention to supply, as from a date to be specified in the notice and being not less than three months from the date thereof, gas of such calorific value as may be therein declared, and the calorific value so declared shall as from the date so specified be the declared calorific value for the purposes of this Order.

The notice required by this Section shall comply with the requirements of this Order with regard to the notice in which the calorific value was originally declared.

7. If and so often as the undertakers shall alter the declared calorific value of the gas they shall at their own expense effect such alteration, adjustment, or replacement of the burners in consumers' appliances as may be necessary to secure that the gas can be burned with safety and efficiency, except in the case of any consumer who objects to such alteration, adjustment, or replacement as aforesaid.

8. If the declared calorific value is less than 350 British thermal units the minimum permissible pressure at which the gas may be supplied shall be that specified in the Schedule to this Order.

9. This Order shall come into operation on the 15th day of October, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-one.

By Order of the Minister for Industry and Commerce.

Dated this 7th day of October, 1931.

GLENAVY,

Secretary, Department of Industry and Commerce.

SCHEDULE.

Where the declared calorific value is below 350 British thermal units and not below 300 British thermal units, the minimum permissible pressure shall be two and a half inches.

Where the declared calorific value is below 300 British thermal units the minimum permissible pressure shall be such pressure (not being less than three inches) as shall be prescribed by authorisation of the Minister for Industry and Commerce.