I move the Second Reading. The main object of this Bill is to secure uniformity with regard to the testing of meters through which gas is sold to the public. Any regulations which exist at present depend upon the Act of 1859, and while the provisions of that Act were fairly satisfactory the application of that Act is entirely unsatisfactory, because there was this peculiar limitation put upon the operation of that Act: By the terms of the Act itself it could only become operative in the areas of whatever local autho- rities definitely established it as operative within a certain period after the passing of the Act, and, in fact, the only two authorities in this country who took advantage of it were Dublin and Cork. The local authorities in Dublin and Cork alone adopted the 1859 Act, and the result has been that since the passing of that Act consumers of gas supplied by all but two gas companies in the Free State had no statutory provision made with regard to the testing of meters. Another Act followed; the Gas Regulation Act of 1920 was passed with the idea of bettering the position which was found to have occurred here owing to the peculiar limitation of the 1859 Act. In fact, the 1920 Act also failed to improve matters in this country as far as meter-testing was concerned, but it improved it in other respects; in so far as meter-testing was concerned it made no improvement, because it gave no legislative power even to local authorities which had adopted the 1859 Act to test meters except meters for use in the area of the particular local authority, so that the joint effect of the 1859 and the 1920 Acts was that only two local authorities had adopted the 1859 Act. They were the only two who had compulsion with regard to the testing of meters, and even these two could not test meters brought in from other areas for use outside these areas. The Bill proposes to remedy all that while requiring that every meter through which gas is delivered for sale shall be properly verified and stamped, and it further requires, in order to get away with the impediments to the 1920 Act, that every inspector appointed by the local authority shall test any meter presented to him no matter where the future use of the meter is intended to be. I should not be taken as saying that the gas companies have availed of the peculiar provisions of the 1859 Act. Quite a number of smaller companies have, in fact, voluntarily kept meters tested, and the authorities of Dublin and Cork, although not bound, have in fact tested meters for these people. It only means now that all the other undertakers will be put in the same position as certain companies have put themselves voluntarily.
The second section of the Bill enables extensions to be made in the number of meter-testing stations if ever it be found necessary. It is expected that it will be found necessary, and as the establishment of a station of this sort is a rather expensive matter it has been decided to limit the possible extension to country boroughs. Sections 3 and 4 impose obligations with regard to the verification of stamps which has been spoken of as being the main object of the Bill. Sections 5, 6 and 7 are for the purpose of making it clear that the Saorstát Eireann stamp on gas meters will alone be valid, and this provision is necessary by reason of the fact that there is a practice whereby a number of companies have imported into this country meters stamped in England or Scotland, and the claim has been made that on account of a certain obscurity in the law that stamp should be counted as being sufficient without any further stamp in this country. Sections 5, 6 and 7 will clear up whatever obscurity there has been said to be in the law and will make it essential for the future that in order to enable a meter to be valid the Saorstát Eireann stamp will have to be on it. There is a provision in Section 5 that meters already in use will have to be stamped within a period of twelve months. The usual representation has been made to me that the twelve months period does not give enough time. I have had certain representations made on that matter and I think interviews are bound to follow. If the period is not found suitable it will be a matter of meeting the exigencies of the situation. It may be found necessary to have the period extended, but twelve months is thought, at the moment, to be a proper period It may have to be extended.
Section 8 gives additional security; it enables inspectors to ascertain whether meters have, in fact, been stamped or not. Up to the present the only duty laid upon a gas inspector was the examination of such meters as were presented to him. It is necessary that we should have some means of ascertaining whether all meters in stores or in the premises of gas companies have, in fact, been tested. Section 9 deals with the testing of gas as opposed to the testing of meters by the extension of the expression "gas undertaker" which is provided in Section 3. Gas undertakers will have to apply for an order under the 1920 Act authorising them to adopt the thermal system of charge. There are sixty-eight undertakers—gas companies—and of these forty-six are non-statutory and the extension of the term in Section 3 will enable these people to apply for an order under the 1920 Act enabling them to adopt the thermal system instead of the system previously in use. Section 9 also takes away certain small limitations that were imposed in respect of charges for gas and which have been found unnecessary.
Section 10 is one of these sections of legislation by reference. The reference in this case is simply to the first two lettered paragraphs of sub-section (1). It simply substitutes "the Minister" for "quarter sessions," enabling the particular Minister to act in lieu of quarter sessions in regard to the appointment of gas examiners. The next two lettered paragraphs, C. and D., substitute days which have been found, in fact, to be more convenient to gas companies in relation to the dates for the fixing of the rate of charge and the payment of contributions to the gas fund. The last lettered paragraph of that sub-section is to correct an error in the 1920 Act by which Ireland is entirely omitted from the provisions of the section. The other sub-section is to enable certain expenses incurred by the Minister under this Act or the Act of 1920 to be payable out of the gas fund.
Section 11 is an important section. It is set out here to remove a particular anomaly. In Dublin there are, in fact, two Acts in operation. There is a private Act obtained by the Gas Company in 1874 and in addition there is the Act of 1920. Under the private Act of 1874 it was required that the Board of Trade should appoint a special gas examiner. Under the 1920 Act it was laid down with regard to the country that appointment should be made by local authority and that the examiner should act under direction of the Board of Gas Referees. The 1874 provision was not repealed by the 1920 Act with the result that up to date it has been compulsory to appoint two examiners in Dublin. It is quite clear that only one is required and this allows for one in the future. That person appointed by the Dublin authority will continue to act under direction of the Gas Referees.
