Lord Macmillan.-

Their Lordships have in this appeal to consider the meaning to be assigned to the word “adjoining” as employed in S. 282, New Zealand Municipal Corporation's Act 1920. That section reads as follows:

“A Council, having established electric light works for the purpose of lighting the streets and public places of the borough and of supplying electricity to the inhabitants of the borough may (a) supply electricity to any person residing beyond the borough, with the consent of the local authority of the district in which the supply is given, and the provisions of this Act as to the supply of electricity to the inhabitants of the borough shall, so far as applicable, extend and apply to the case of such supply beyond the borough, and (b) contract with the local authority, of any adjoining district to supply electricity to such local authority upon such terms and conditions as may be mutually agreed upon.”

This section applies to the appellants, the council of the borough of New Plymouth, who are authorised by Orders in Council made under the Public Works Amendment Acts of 1908 and 1911 to supply electricity within an area of supply which embraces not only the borough, but al