The Appropriate Type of Authority
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9299.1926.tb02265.x |
| Published date | 01 October 1926 |
| Author | Joseph G. Broodbank |
| Date | 01 October 1926 |
The
Appropriate Type
of
Authority
for
the Operation
of
Publicly Owned Utility Services, and the
Powers which they should have
By
SIR
JOSEPH
G.
BROODBANX
Late
of
Port
of
London
Authority
N
questions affecting commerce and trade,
I
am
a
free trader and
0
an individualist, believing that wisdom in these respects was
contained in the reply of the French Merchants to Colbert when he asked
them how he could best serve and promote commerce
:
"
Laissez-nous
faire."
Public utility undertakings may differ in regard to the extent
of
the
commercial element involved in their operation, but every one
of
them has
some of that element. Whoever may own them,
I
should prefer that
even in such
a
matter as water supply, the actual operation shouId be
under commercial management, subject to such measures and regulations
for
the protection of the public
as
may appear to be desirable, rather
than that such undertakings should be operated by the State or the
Municipality or
ad
hoc
bodies. The one exception to this rule wouId
be the Post Office. There
is no
class
of
undertaking where such
a
variety in the
form
of
control
exists
as
in England and Wales. The
Ports
of London and Liverpool are
governed by mixed bodies
of
traders
and
representatives
of
Government
and
public bodies, but their respective powers and jurisdictions differ
widelyin important details. Bristol and Preston are municipally operated.
Southampton
and
Hull
Dock undertakings are owned and worked by
Railway Companies, but Harbour Boards have jurisdiction in the water
approaches. Manchester Docks and Canal are owned by
a
private Com-
pany where the Corporation has secured
a
majority on the Board through
financial assistance in their early days
of
struggle. The
Tyne
Docks
are divided between the London and
North
Eastern Railway Company
and the Tyne Commissioners. The South Wales Ports were originally
operated by different methods, but are now m,algamated under the control
of
the Great Western Railway Company. Dover
is
administered
by
its Harbour Board, but the Southern Railway Company occupy the
309
Amongst the oldest public utility undertakings
are
the Ports.
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